Buhweju locals throng church for free medication

Sep 07, 2022

Locals started arriving at the venue as early as 5:00 am, and by 7:00 am, there were long queues. Some people walked about 10 to 20kms to get the free treatment

People in a queue waiting to for their turn to get free medication at Butare Catholic Parish. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

Adolf Ayoreka
Journalist @New Vision

Residents of Buhweju district on Saturday (September 3) thronged Butare Catholic Parish Church to access free medical treatment organised by the Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA).

Locals started arriving at the venue as early as 5:00 am, and by 7:00 am, there were long queues. Some people walked about 10 to 20kms to get the free treatment at Butare – by 9:00 am, the queue was about 200 meters long.

About 8,000 residents turned up for the free exercise. 

A crowd of people waiting to be ushered in to get free medical services. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

A crowd of people waiting to be ushered in to get free medical services. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

Rose Kamuhanda, a local from Bihanga village said she about 10km to come for cervical cancer and breast cancer screening.

“I have been with several health challenges, and before I came, I had to first put them on a piece of paper so that I don’t forget them but am grateful that I have gotten treatment. I hope to be well,” Kamuhanda said.

Kamuhanda had previously gone to Nsiika Health Centre IV for a checkup but was told they didn’t offer the services.

Free services 

The residents were offered free dental care, cervical cancer screening, eye care, special gynae care, antenatal care, post-natal, safe male circumcision, breast cancer screening and prostate cancer screening services. The other service was pro bono provided by the Uganda Law Society.

Chris Gumisiriza, Chairperson AMDA told New Vision that they carried out an assessment in the villages of Buhweju to ascertain the standard of health services in the district before concluding to offer free medication to the locals.

A crowd of people waiting to be ushered in to get free medical services. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

A crowd of people waiting to be ushered in to get free medical services. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

Gumisiriza said that this is their 8th annual medical camp.

He revealed that when they were in Rushanje parish in 2018, the people of Buhweju through their leaders requested them to extend these medical services to the district. 

“We came here three weeks back and sat with the leaders and District Health Officer (DHO) to find out what services were lacking in the area. We were told some specialized services like dental care, eye care and other services are not in the area,” he noted. 

An old woman being supported by an AMDA member to get treatment. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

An old woman being supported by an AMDA member to get treatment. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

He said that they were overwhelmed by the big turn up unlike in other places where they have been receiving about 5000 people like in Mushanga, Sheema municipality last year.

He said this is an annual campaign that was initiated by members of AMDA as a way of complimenting the services offered by the government in the health sector.

Health services in Buhweju 

Dr Bruno Ayik, Buhweju DHO, said the overwhelming numbers turned up for the free medical camp due to the lack of specialized services in the area.

“Even those that manage to come to our health centre get just basic services since the biggest health facility we have in the district is a health centre IV. In the district, we have 17 health facilities,” he said.

People in a queue waiting to for their turn to get free medication at Butare Catholic Parish. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

People in a queue waiting to for their turn to get free medication at Butare Catholic Parish. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

He noted that they were fairly doing well but were limping, in terms of specialized services. “The demand for even basic services supersedes what we can offer that’s why when people heard about these free services, they turned up in big numbers.”

Asked whether they get supplied with drugs from National Medical stores, Dr Ayik said that they are supplied on a quarterly basis but are always consumed before another quarter begins.

“When drugs get used up, people wait from their homes until we get another batch of drugs, those who can manage to go to private clinics tend to seek services there,” he said.

He prayed that if the government elevates Nsiika Health Center IV to a district hospital, the hospital budget will improve; drugs and specialized services will be available, including a proper staffing structure.

Leaders speak out

Francis Mwijukye, Member of Parliament for Buhweju, expressed his worry about the state of health care not only in Buhweju but in the whole country.

Mwijukye said that such a big turn-up is a manifestation of a broken health system in the country.

“We recently saw on television how the emergency unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital was itself in an emergency state, so, what do you expect of health facilities in Buhweju? I think as the country we need to refocus on national priorities where health sector should be given a lion share as far as funding is concerned,” he stated.

At the parliamentary level, he said their hands were tied because the government's priority is not health but security.

“As MPs, we may not do much since the implementers have different priorities because an argument comes in parliament, but the government will tell us that their priority is security.”

Some local were seated while they waited for turn to get worked on. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

Some local were seated while they waited for turn to get worked on. (Photo by Adolf Ayoreka)

Olive Koyekyenga, the Woman Member of Parliament for Buhweju said what would solve most of the health challenges in the country is by approving the National Health insurance Bill 2019 which was passed by Parliament and waiting to be assented to by the President.

“I think the President should be reminded that the bill is very urgent so that he can sign it into law, what you have seen in Buhweju is in almost all the districts in the country. As a country, we need to refocus on what affects the local person,” Koyekyenga said.

What other residents say

Stella Kamarimu- (Resident of Rwibaare village)

I have been having an eye problem for some time, but I could not access help. I had no money to go to Mbarara Referral Hospital. When I heard about this free camp, I had to come and get treated.

We ask the government to equip our health centres with medicine because when we go there sometimes, even panadol is not there.

Maria Kyinkuhaire (A resident of Butare)

I had severe stomach ache and back ache, but the doctors have managed to work on me, and I hope I will be fine. At my age walking about five kilometres to come here for services was not easy.

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