Ugandan Health Centers: Funds Spent, Services Absent
On October 27, 2023, the Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation voiced its strong disapproval for the lack of full operationalization of health centers in local governments, despite substantial investments.
The committee, led by Chairperson Hon. Betty Nambooze, pointed out that while the government had committed to establishing a health center III in every sub-county, many of these newly constructed health facilities remain non-operational despite being equipped and having new infrastructure in place.
The revelation came during a two-day field visit to the Eastern region, which began on October 26, 2023. The primary purpose of this visit was to assess the extent to which government assurances in the health sector had been implemented in local governments and regional referral hospitals.
During their initial stop in Jinja district, Members of Parliament engaged with local leadership and subsequently toured Mpambwa Health Centre III, which had recently undergone rehabilitation and received equipment worth Shs1.6 billion from the Ministry of Health.
Hon. Nambooze expressed her dismay, saying, “I am pleased that every sub-county in Jinja has a health center III, but they are not well equipped. This money for upgrading health centers was borrowed in 2019, but we are now in 2023, and these health centers are not yet fully operational, yet Ugandans are already paying interest.”
According to Ministry of Health standards, a Health Center III should have essential components, including an outpatient department, a general ward with at least 20 beds, a maternity ward, staff quarters, and a minimum of 55 staff members. However, MPs observed that most health centers do not meet these standards.
Their visit to the newly refurbished Nambale Health Centre III in Iganga District unveiled similar challenges, including understaffing, limited supplies, and infrastructural inadequacies. Dr. Patrick Kitimbo, the acting District Health Officer, Iganga, highlighted the persistent issue of inadequate human resources and insufficient staff accommodation, which hampers service delivery due to outdated staffing norms from 1970 that do not align with the current population growth.
In 2019, Parliament approved a loan request, enabling the government to borrow $55 million (approximately Shs200 billion) from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group for the purpose of upgrading health center IIs to health center IIIs. Subsequently, in 2021, Parliament approved an additional loan request amounting to Shs352.2 billion to complete the construction, rehabilitation, and equipping of health centers.
The committee will continue its oversight visits to health facilities in Mbale, Butaleja, and Butebo districts, aiming to hold the government accountable for the efficient utilization of resources in the health sector.
