Japan constructs health facilities worth sh600m in Amuria, Napak
Jan 30, 2024
The support is part of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), a scheme administered by the Embassy of Japan to fund community development projects that uplift the lives of people at the grassroots level.
Ambassador Fukuzawa Hidemoto launching one of the projects on Wednesday. (Courtesy photo)
Godfrey Ojore
Journalist @New Vision
The districts of Amuria and Napak on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, received the newly constructed general ward and inpatient ward in the health facilities that have been grappling with the challenge of space.
The support is part of the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), a scheme administered by the Embassy of Japan to fund community development projects that uplift the lives of people at the grassroots level.
A newly constructed General Ward at Orungo Health Centre III in Amuria District worth shillings 303 million and an inpatient ward at Apeitolim Health Centre II in Napak district worth shillings 300 million were handed over to district leadership by the Ambassador of Japan to Uganda, Fukuzawa Hidemoto.
According to the statement from the Japanese embassy, Orungo Health Centre III has a catchment population of 16,700 people but due to the unavailability of a general ward, an average of nine patients per day who require admission could not get admission due to space challenges.
Leadership welcomes donation
The donation has been welcomed by the district leadership. Nathan Okiror, the district vice-chairperson said the infrastructure challenge in health centres is big. Orungo Health Centre III was established in 1947.
“Japanese are indeed our friends for coming to build for us a maternity ward that will help our mothers deliver well,” Okirir said.
He noted that the district is still in need of support for more infrastructure because the existing ones are too old to be used.
“A sub-county like Ogongora lacks a health facility yet the Government policy requires that every sub-county must have a health facility,” Okirir said adding that there is a need to elevate some health facilities to Health Centre IV to help decongest Amuria General Hospital.
Ambassador Hidemoto inside one of the new structures constructed with funding from Japan. (Courtesy photo)
Bridging the service gap
Apeitolim Health Centre in Napak district has been the only serving facility with the nearest being Matany, which is 78km away.
Meanwhile, it is the only health facility in the sub-county and the nearest health facility. At the time of requesting the grant, the health centre did not have an inpatient ward, so there was only one way to use the two beds in the outpatient ward, despite an average of five inpatients per day.
As a response to these challenges, the Embassy of Japan supported Apeitolim Health Centre II in constructing a five-stance VIP latrine and a furnished inpatient ward with eight beds each for men and women, an isolation wing for infected patients, and toilet facilities for both patients and staff.
Others are the storeroom, pharmacy, treatment room, and solar power system.
The Embassy of Japan also provided a set of medical furniture: 22 hospital beds, 23 mattresses with PVCs, 2 drug shelves, 1 examination bed, 2 oxygen concentrators, 4 chairs, 2 doctor’s tables, and one reception table.
In February 2022 the community of Serere district also received a donation of a classroom block at Ajoba Primary School worth sh226m, from the Japanese government.
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