Dr. Sam Uringtho, the Director of Gulu Regional Blood Bank told URN in an interview that they are raising little blood because of the low turn up of blood donors. According to Uringtho, majority of their donors are secondary school students but because of high demand for blood, what they donate is not enough.
Records from UAC show that 10.7 million people tested in the 2016/2017 financial year, 8.8 million in the 2017/2018 financial year and 7.2 million in the 2018/2019 financial year.
The bank cautions that deteriorating water quality worldwide is slashing the economic potential of heavily polluted areas. It further warns that while much attention has focused on water quantity – too much water, in the case of floods; too little water, in the case of droughts – water quality has attracted significantly less consideration.
The RBF approach requires that resources are only allocated based on outcomes, unlike the previous system where health facilities are financed depending on their respective levels.
In the 2017/2018 financial year, Rubaya Sub-county council approved the upgrading of Kitooma health Centre II in Rubaya Sub County to Health Centre III.
Dr Charles Kabugo a consultant physician says the situation is worsened by the fact that many especially young people are unaware that they are hypertensive.
Dr Lawrence Kazibwe, the Acting Deputy Executive Director says that they have requested for extra money and have contracted NWSC to not only connect their tank but to also treat the medical waste before it is joined to the main sewer line.
Dr Patrick Odong Olwedo, the Amuru District Health Officer, says the current location of the facility has hindered the district`s attempt to provide health care services to the residents in the area.
Joseph Kalanzi, a professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Science, says setting up a regulating entity alone may not be very helpful for a country with an increasing need for emergency care services.
Records indicate that the number of Malaria cases has increased by over 400,000 this year, from 1 million cases recorded by June 2018, to 1.4 million Cases by June 2019. The surge affected at least 65 districts in the areas of West Nile, Acholi, parts of Lango, Busoga, Bunyoro, Karamoja, parts of Buganda, the districts of Amuria, Kumi and Soroti in Teso, and the districts of Kamwenge, Kisoro and Kanungu in Western Uganda.
Alex Okoya, the Labour Line Parish LC II Chairperson in Pece Division confirmed to URN the presence of the commercial male sex workers owing to high demand by working class women like Bankers and high profile widows who normally rent rooms in the outskirts of town where they are serviced by the young boys.
A nurse, who spoke to URN on condition of anonymity because she is not authorized to the media, says they refer expectant mothers to Busiu health center IV in case they find the rooms occupied.
Suzan Kagonya and Christine Nadunga who had come for antenatal care services told URN that they spend over 6 hours in long queues before getting treatment but sometimes return home without drugs. They claimed that they are told to pay between Shillings 5,000Uto 10,000 before getting mama kit or get it from private clinics outside.
Dr. Lawrence Kazibwe, the acting Deputy Director, Kawempe National Referral Hospital, says the unit has capacity to handle 60 babies, but the number shoots up in the said months.
Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of Parliament, who launched the facility on behalf of President, Yoweri Museveni, warned young girls against leading reckless lives that can lead them to get fistula.
Freddie Ssengooba, a Professor of Health Economics and Health System Management, says government should prioritize indoor insecticide residual spraying just like the use of mosquito nets.
Justus Nsabimana, one of the leaders of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union at Masaka Hospital, says at least 20 nurses have been ordered to leave the staff houses for failing to reapply. He says that they didn’t get any communication from the hospital as to why even those that have been occupying the staff houses had to reapply, something which they referred to as mistreatment by the hospital authorities.
