The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga, has expressed shock at the poor state of service delivery in the Masaka region, particularly in the areas of healthcare, water, and roads.
During a recent tour of the region, Mpuuga discovered that residents in Lwengo District are grappling with access to safe drinking water. They are forced to fetch water from an open pond, making them susceptible to waterborne diseases.
Mpuuga also visited Lyantonde General Hospital, where he was disappointed by its poor state. The hospital is visibly deteriorating and is burdened by patients from other districts, as it is the only Health Centre IV in the area.
In Lwengo District, Mpuuga was told by the District Chairman that locals share water with both domestic and wild animals as the only available source is a pond. This left the legislators worried over a likely disease outbreak.
Mpuuga concluded his tour by visiting Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, where he expressed concern over the patients increasingly being charged for access to health services. He noted that the hospital is taxpayer-funded and that all services are meant to be free. However, critical services like CT Scan are charged for at Shs 120,000.
Mpuuga called on the government to address the poor state of service delivery in the Masaka region. He said that the government is failing to provide ably facilitate the hospital to become fully functional and that the hospital’s annual budget of Shs 5.4 billion is inadequate.
Mpuuga’s findings are a stark reminder of the challenges that Ugandans face in accessing basic services. The government must take immediate action to address these challenges and ensure that all Ugandans have access to quality healthcare, safe drinking water, and good roads.
