At least a total of close to 20 Health facilities in Teso Sub region are stuck without essential drugs.
According to the survey conducted by media, the facilities that include regional hospitals, district hospitals and health centres have essentials such as antimalarial drugs in scant supply.
Health Centres like Arabaka Health Centre II, Asuret Health Centre III, Aukot Health Centre II, Dakabela Health Centre III, Gweri Health Centre II, Kamuda Health Centre III and Magoro Health Centre III lack the essential drugs.
Others include; Ngariam Health Centre III, Ojom Health Centre II, Ongongoja Health Centre III, Palam Health Centre II, Pallisa Hospital, Tubur Health Centre III and Usuk Health Centre III.
The drug stock-out has not been particular about those it has negatively impacted.
In Magoro Sub-county, the LC3 chairperson witnessed the effects firsthand when he was checked into a medical unit after feeling unwell.
Mr Francis Aruo to his dismay discovered that Magoro Health Centre III has not been restocked with essential antimalarial drugs since last December.
“We are still waiting for the drugs,” he told Monitor this week, adding that the delay is unacceptable since “28,000 people rely on [the health facility] for malaria treatment.”
Ms Mary Iteit, 67, visited Magoro Health Centre III twice in as many days only to be told there are no drugs.
Mr Simon Peter Icumar the Katakwi district health officer told us drug stock-outs have handicapped Magoro health centre III, Toroma Health Centre IV, Ngariam Health Centre III, Palam Health Centre II, Ongongoja Health Centre III and Usuk Health Centre III.
The dire situation is mirrored in Soroti District where Dr Charles Okhadhi—lthe health officer said health centres II in Ojom, Arabaka and Aukot have been adversely affected.
We also discovered that the key health centre IIIs of Gweri, Dakabela, Tubur , Asuret and Kamuda are also operating without drugs to dispense to patients.
Ms Sheila Nduhukire, the NMS spokesperson, acknowledged that there have been delays attributed to “ack of timely payment of funds for distribution.”
She said the financial bottlenecks “have been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and Ministry of Health.”
“We are confident that they will be resolved soon,” she said.
SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR