Kagadi residents petition CAO over health centers' poor service delivery

At least 50 community members from eight sub-counties of Kagadi District have petitioned the office of the Kagadi District Chief Administrative officer (CAO) demanding disciplinary action against poor service delivery by some health workers at various health centers in the District.

In their petition submitted to the chief administrative officer Kagadi Malik Mahaba, on Friday, community members from Rugashali, Kyaterekera, Mpefu, Kiryanga, Kyakabadiima, Muhorro and Kabamba sub-counties accused health workers of Kyaterekera health center III, Galiboleka health center II, Kyakabadima health center II, Rugashali health center III, Mpefu health center III, Muhorro health center III and Kiryanga Health center III of reporting late for duty, leaving early and not minding about patients which lead them to spend many hours at health center without being attended to.

Asiimwe Beatrice and Jeremiah Musoke who led the petitioners said some health workers report for duty at around 10:00am and leave before 5:00pm daily.

"We are disgusted with some nurses,clinical officers and workers who do not come in time and when they come they leave early. We want the chief administrative officer Kagadi to take punitive action against these errant health workers,'' she said.

Bernard Turyahikayo who was among the petitioners revealed that some health workers are rude to patients and do not care about the patients who seek medical assistance from the health officers.

"Due to inadequate service delivery at the health facilities, there has been over crowding of patients leading to poor hygiene and sanitation. Why should CAO continue ordering for payments of their salaries yet they are not serving us?'' he asked.

Responding to the allegations, some health officers from Kyaterekera and Rugashali said the people are being influenced by Kabarole research institute, NGO that has four agents in every sub-county to monitor government programs and are paid to malice some innocent public servants.

Grace Ngomiranze , the health in charge Rugashali health center III said the allegations are meant to tarnish the health center.

" I have an attendance list of my staff, they came in time, Infectious Disease institute (IDI) recently renovated our health facility comprising of the maternity ward with over 10 other rooms for both out patients and in patients department. We have no problem at the health facility. I have cleaners who clean the compound and rooms on daily basis and I wonder where such unfounded reports came from. Some people especially from Kabarole research center do not come on ground and I have never seen them. They only employ agents to give them reports,'' said Ngomiranze.

Unice Happy, health in charge Kyaterekera health center III also refuted the allegations saying activities at the health facility is going on well and that some people have been hired to tarnish their names.

"I have arrival book that shows daily attendance of the workers. We are also surprised to hear that some community members stormed the office of CAO demanding disciplinary action against health workers who do not attend regularly,''she said.

Dr.Olowo James, the district health officer Kagadi told the New Vision that he had not seen the petition and would comment about the matter after perusing through the petition.

"I have not yet received a copy of the petition and when I get it , I will comment. I can't comment before reading through the petition,'' he said.

Efforts by New Vision to get a comment from the Kagadi district CAO, Malik Mahaba were futile.