Dr Edward Muwanga, the District Health Officer says that the district executive committee together with the health department resolved that Thursday will now be a special treatment day for elderly persons in government health facilities within the area.
An Elderly Woman being helped from Boda Boda to recieve free medical care at Masaka diocease's health camp. Kyotera District is Designing a specail program for such patients in public facilities
Authorities in Kyotera district have dedicated special
clinic days to attend to the rising number of elderly persons seeking healthcare
services in the area.
Dr Edward Muwanga, the District Health Officer says that the district executive committee together
with the health department resolved that Thursday will now be a special
treatment day for elderly persons in government health facilities within
the area.
He says that the decision
arises out of the general outcry among elderly persons who cannot compete
for the available healthcare services alongside the general population. Dr Muwanga adds that in the meantime, priority will be given to patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes which are common
ailments among people of advanced age.
He indicates that the program that started
with Kalisizo and Kakuuto Hospital will gradually
be rolled out across all other lower facilities in the district.
//Cue in;
(Luganda) “oluvanyuma lw’okuzuula…
Cue out….tujja
gikekayo.”//
Dr Muwanga adds that they are riding on the same program to decongest the health facilities and justifying calls for the deployment of
more specialists in government health facilities. Records show that at least 90 elderly patients have sought services, in a period of one and a half months, on their special clinic days.
//Cue in;
“naye ate nga….
Cue out; ….engengo
empanvu.”//
Kyotera District Chairperson Patrick Kintu Kisekulo says that they intend to empower their Village Health Team to take medicines to the elderly persons from their respective homes. He explains that they are also encouraging the health workers
to develop a network to look out for the elderly patients especially those
with chronic illnesses without necessarily waiting for them to show up in
hospitals.
Cotilda Nanteza Kasujja, the Publicity Secretary of Kyotera
District Elders Persons Network is optimistic that the elderly persons will now have
enough time with health workers and an opportunity to access a holistic
health package which they have been missing. Natenza has asked the district to as well lobby for a wide
range of services that include highly socialized medical equipment and personnel
to have then nearer.
