The Nyundo sub county LC5 councilor
Mrs. Tumwakire Bernadine has said health problems are likely to worsen due to
absenteeism of health workers or under staffing in health facilities in Nyundo
Sub County.Nyundo sub county is in Bukimbiri county Kisoro district in South western Uganda
Tumwakire who is also the district secretary for education, said this after monitoring how health center are operating in Nyundo Sub County this week.
At Bukimbiri Health center III Tumwakire found four nurses without health center in charge and laboratory technician. The nurses told Tumwakire that the laboratory technician went in leave which Tumwakire said people are just getting medicine without examination.
She says the health facilities are currently operating partially with patients going back home without getting medication due to absence of health workers.
At Ikamiro health center II, Tumwakire Benadine who was with other sub county councilors found no health worker but doors of the health center wide open with patience stranded outside the building on Wednesday this week.
After finding the situation at the health centers, Tumwakire called the LC chairperson Abel Bizimana who said that he is going to consult the DHO to find out fate of health center in Nyundo.
Tumwakire said Malaria is likely to rise because people are not getting medicine from the nearest facilities due to absenteeism of health workers and under staffing.
Dho reacts on councilor’s complaints.
After getting the complaints, the Kisoro district Health Officer Dr Nsabiyunva Steven has come out to defend the health centers in Nyundo Sub County saying that workers have been working even during festival days. He says health workers have never been absent in festival season.
On the issue of the Bukimbiri Health in charge, Nsabiyunva said that the in charge was in his annual leave which was supposed to end on 3rd January, 2022 and had told the DHO that he will be at work on 5th January the day councilors reached at the health center.
He also added that the laboratory technician had also gone in his annual leave like how other civil servants do. He said they cannot just make replacement when someone takes his annual leave.
He added that, when the lab technician takes his leave the health department cannot just make a replacement instead other health workers continue to carry out Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) for simple infections while in case of a serious infection the samples are collected and taken to Kisoro hospital.
