52% of Napak residents lack access to health services

Napak, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 52 percent of the Napak district’s population lacks access to essential healthcare services due to a lack of health facilities.

The most affected sub-counties include Poron, Lorenchora, and Achukudu, which do not have any health facilities. Residents have to walk for 45 kilometres to access a nearby facility from the next sub-county.

The district does not have a health IV and the only nearby referral unit is Moroto Regional Referral Hospital which is about 120 kilometers away. The other sub-counties are served by 19 health centres inclusive of one for the army, and a private facility in Matany. The government has five Health Centre IIIs and 12 Health Center IIs.

Timothy Teko, the Napak District Health Officer, observed that the sub counties such as Poron, and Lorengechora have no health Centre yet it is situated in the green belt that has attracted a huge population of people who are cultivating food.

Teko said that they have had a series of challenges in terms of disease burden malaria being the most common causing illness under five and other populations.

He said that malaria has contributed to a high number infant mortality rate due to the lack of an improved level of care in the health facilities.

Teko noted that they are finding it difficult to reach out to the communities because they are widely spread all over and in distant locations.

Teko said that the health services have only improved in the areas where there are health centers while those who lack facilities depend on the integrated outreaches which are planned periodically whenever the resources are available.

John Paul Kodet, the LCV Chairperson of Napak said that they lost one child last week to malaria and a mother who died after delivering from home.

Kodet noted that the mother from Natirai in Poron Sub County died due to overbreeding. He said that they tried to cross over the bridge that was cut off by water and the ambulance was parked across the road.

Kodet noted that pregnant mothers who seek antenatal services are more affected because they cannot walk long distances to access health services.

Kodet also said that several existing health facilities are understaffed when there is an overwhelming number of patients seeking health services.

To improve the health care service delivery, especially for mothers, the Ministry of Health has donated a life support ambulance to the district to cover the constituency of Bokora to serve the unprivileged communities of Poron and Achukudu that lack a health facility.

Faith Nakut, the Woman Member of Parliament for Napak district noted that the places are lucky to have a health facility but are very distant from the community due to the big size of the sub-county.   Nakut observed that the size of sub-counties in Napak is equivalent to other districts in some parts of the country.

She revealed that the health crisis burden pressured her to buy a personal ambulance for the community that completely had no access to health services.

Nakut urged the government to consider establishing more health facilities in the sub-counties to address the health crisis. She observed that the scope of the sub-county alone is not good for a wider district.

Nakut cautioned the district to maintain the ambulance donated so that they can have the confidence to ask for more from the government.

John Bosco Ngoya, the Member of Parliament for Bokora County in Napak district noted that they have been struggling to take people to the health facility using their cars.

Ngoya noted that the ambulance will greatly improve health services, especially in the communities that do not have any access to the facility.

He confirmed that his community is more affected because there is a poor road network that hinders the movement of patients who will opt to use a motorcycle as a mean to access health facilities in the nearby sub-county.

James Bedijo Okumu, the Chief Administrative Officer for Napak district said that the old ambulance was in bad shape and could not help during emergency times.

Okumu is committed to ensuring that the ambulance is put in proper use and guiding the drivers to make sure that the route worthiness is maintained at all times.

He warned the driver against using the ambulance for his activities and misusing it for other purposes than transporting patients.

Okumu said that the parking of the ambulance should be at the designated place where it can easily be accessed whenever there is a need.

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