Paibona Health Center II, located in Gulu District, is facing severe challenges in providing effective healthcare services to the overwhelming number of patients who visit the facility daily.
The health center is grappling with a shortage of health workers, which has limited its capacity to cater to the growing population that seeks medical attention. Additionally, the facility struggles with space constraints, as no major construction has taken place in over two decades.
The health center, built under the 2002/04 Northern Uganda Rehabilitation Programme (NUREP) with funding from the European Union and the Government of Uganda, has not seen significant infrastructure expansion since its establishment. This was highlighted by Mrs. Amono Charity, the in-charge of the health facility, during a recent health visit by the District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Laker Sharon Balmoi.
In her remarks, Mrs. Amono revealed that Paibona Health Center receives approximately 100 people daily at its Outpatient Department (OPD). Additionally, an average of two pregnant women come in for antenatal care each day. However, the facility only has one nurse and one midwife to handle this high volume of patients. The lack of sufficient healthcare personnel and equipment, combined with the absence of specialized medicines for pregnant women, has made it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of the population. In some cases, the facility is forced to borrow medical supplies from Awach Health Center IV, which, due to its own high patient numbers, sometimes cannot fulfill these requests.
“We are faced with numerous challenges,” Mrs. Amono explained. “We only have two health workers who directly handle patients seeking medical care. In a month, we receive about 50 pregnant women for delivery, and sometimes, we have two or three women giving birth at the same time.
Yet, we only have one delivery bed and two beds for admission, meaning that the other women often have to deliver on the floor. Our Woman MP, Hon. Sharon, has promised to provide us with additional beds, but where will we put them? We need a bigger facility that can accommodate our equipment and patients. I also pray that more health workers and medical supplies are added to aid our work.”
Mrs. Amono also expressed gratitude to Hon. Laker Sharon Balmoi for her continued support of the facility. She noted that the donation of fifty basins and bars of soap to mothers attending antenatal care and immunization programs was timely, as many pregnant women often arrive without basic hygiene supplies like basins, soap, and Mama Kits. This makes it difficult for the health center to provide proper care, especially when these essential items are not available.
Hon. Laker Sharon Balmoi, during her visit to Paibona Health Center II, emphasized her commitment to improving the facility’s condition. “We all know that health comes first, and I am going to work closely with the health department of Gulu, as well as the technocrats, to ensure that we take action to improve the status and standards of this health center.
I will advocate for better infrastructure and an increase in the number of medical workers to address the needs of this large population,” she said.
In recent months, Hon. Balmoi has worked to support halthcare in Gulu District by distributing beds to health centers, providing financial support to Village Health Teams, and improving overall health service delivery. Her efforts are part of a broader campaign to improve the health of the people in Gulu District.
Despite the government’s efforts over the years to bring healthcare services closer to the people through the establishment of health units at various levels, many health facilities, including those in Gulu District, continue to face significant challenges.
These challenges include inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of human resources, and delays in the delivery of medical supplies, all of which hinder the timely and effective delivery of healthcare.
