In a shocking revelation, Bukaleba Health Centre II in Mayuge District has been exposed as a decrepit, forsaken, and virtually invisible health facility. This facility, which has become an internet sensation due to its pathetic condition, seems to have slipped through the cracks even within the Ministry of Health’s radar.
Situated in the remote backwaters of Mayuge District, Bukaleba Health Centre II resides in what was once a post-colonial veterinary office. Today, it struggles to remain operational, let alone attract patients. The sorry state of affairs in this one-roomed building paints a grim picture of the state of healthcare in Uganda.
To understand the absurdity of the situation, it’s essential to note that this health centre started its existence as a staff house for tsetse fly control and veterinary services. It was not until 1980 that it was transformed into Bukaleba Health Centre II, after heavy rains washed away the existing health facility.
According to Mr. Thomas Loyep, a 60-year-old who worked with the now-defunct organization, this transformation occurred almost by accident. “Authorities at the time decided to turn the veterinary office into the health centre,” Mr. Loyep explained, now serving as the security guard at the derelict facility.
Shockingly, the health centre has become so obscure that even the Ministry of Health seems to have no idea of its existence. When contacted, Mr. Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the ministry spokesperson, appeared bewildered by the facility. “I really don’t know whether it is a health facility; someone just shared it,” he admitted.
Adding to the confusion, Ms. Racheal Buwaguzibwa, a midwife at the facility, claims that the widely-shared photos circulating on social media do not depict the actual health centre. Instead, they show a solar-powered room used to store vaccines such as polio and measles. This room also moonlights as staff quarters.
Ms. Buwaguzibwa insists that a new health facility, complete with a patients’ waiting area, an in-charge office, and a store, was constructed. The facility offers essential services such as outpatient department (OPD), maternity care, antenatal services, family planning, and immunization. Yet, despite these services, it remains deserted and ignored by the very patients it is meant to serve.
