According to a statement issued by Aceng, the ministry will not rescind its decision to withdraw government support to Kilembe Mines Hospital.
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Members of the parliamentary committee in health with some of the district leaders at KMH
The government will construct a Health Centre
III in Bulembia Division, Kasese municipality instead of revamping Kilembe Mines
Hospital-KMH, this is according to the Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng.
Rukoki Health Centre IV will also be upgraded to
a district hospital status.
According to a statement issued by Aceng, the
ministry will not rescind its decision to withdraw government support to
Kilembe Mines Hospital. She noted that
Kilembe Mines is situated a long River Nyamwamba catchment area with a history
of recurrent strong floods and they cannot continue providing funds to the
hospital that is prone to recurrent destruction.
In a statement addressed to Members of
Parliament on the health committee, the minister said that government is
pursuing the revamp of Kilembe Mines and hospital and this will further improve
the health services in the area.
She said that upgrading of Rukoki
Health Centre IV and construction of Bulembia Health Centre III will increase
access to primary health care services to the catchment population of Kilembe
mines hospital. PHC funds will now go to Rukoki Health Centre IV.
However Aceng did not indicate when the developments will start.
Last week, the health committee of Parliament
asked the Ministry of Health to reinstate Kilembe Mines Hospital on the list of
facilities that qualify for essential medicines and health supplies.
The Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr.
Diana Atwine wrote to the Executive Director of Joint Medical Stores-JMS on
December 2, 2022, asking for the deactivation of the hospital from the list of
facilities that qualify for essential medicines and health supplies.
According to the communication, the hospital
had failed to utilize funds for essential medicines and health supplies during
the first quarter of the financial year 2022/23 covering the period between
July and September 2022. The facility has been receiving 354
million Shillings annually.
The ministry directed
that the money should be reallocated to other health facilities in Kasese
district and Kasese municipality, a decision which sparked angry reactions from
different stakeholders.
Bureau Chief
Basaija is a graduate of Uganda Christian University (UCU-Mukono) holding a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication.
He also boosts of numerous training's in the communication arena.
Before joining URN, he had served as Documentation personnel, Field news reporter, Radio presenter and News Editor.
Basaija is a social critic, an advocate for independent journalism and a young farmer.
He believes in writing for social change.
At URN Basaija is incharge of Bundibugyo, Bunyangabu and Kasese Distri
