Outcry as Koch Goma HCIII patients share wards with the dead
Currently, when patients pass away, health workers are forced to keep bodies in the same ward as other patients and their attendants, a situation described as distressing and traumatic for those present.
Patrick Okello Oryema, the Nwoya LC5-elect (left) and Emmanuel Orach, the current Nwoya LC5 chairman, during belated Women's Day celebrations at Koch Goma Town Council, where locals aired some of their frustrations with services. (Photo by Christopher Nyeko)
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Residents in the Koch Goma Health Centre III catchment area in Nwoya district have raised concerns over the absence of proper temporary structures for storing deceased individuals at the facility.
Currently, when patients pass away, health workers are forced to keep bodies in the same ward as other patients and their attendants, a situation described as distressing and traumatic for those present.
Community members are now calling on local authorities to urgently address the matter.
Reports indicate that when Koch Goma Health Centre III was constructed, one structure was designated for temporarily holding bodies. However, the existing temporary structures have since fallen into disrepair and are no longer usable.
As a result, medical staff are left with no option but to keep bodies in the ward until families can transport them home for burial.
Geoffrey Opiyo Obama, LCIII chairperson of Koch Goma town council, stated that the facility has never had a proper designated structure for storing bodies.
He noted that due to a decline in male patient admissions, some wards originally intended for men are now being repurposed for this function.
Obama also revealed that following a presidential directive to upgrade Koch Goma HCIII to a Health Centre IV during the 2026–2031 campaign period, efforts are underway to secure land for the construction of a mortuary.
However, Nwoya district health officer Isaac Wanyima clarified that Health Centre III facilities are not mandated to have mortuaries under Ministry of Health guidelines.
Instead, mortuary services are expected at Health Centre IVs and hospitals.
He explained that in cases of unexpected deaths, medical staff carry out necessary procedures before handing over the body to relatives.
When delays occur, especially at night, bodies are temporarily kept in a corner of the ward and screened off with curtains.
Wanyima emphasised that the district’s current priority is not mortuary construction but expanding healthcare access in underserved areas.
Ongoing projects include the construction of Lungulu HCIII and new facilities in Koch-Lii subcounty, which serves a population of over 40,000 people with only one health centre.
He added that funding from the Ministry of Health is primarily directed towards improving maternal and child health services.
The district health office has also encouraged local leaders to allocate part of locally generated revenue towards constructing or rehabilitating temporary shelters for storing bodies, rather than waiting for district-level intervention.