Staff flee as minister makes impromptu visit to Wakiso health unit
Sep 27, 2010
MEDICAL workers at Ndejje Health Centre IV in Wakiso district went into hiding when health state minister James Kakooza made an impromptu visit to the facility on Friday.
By Patrick Jaramogi
MEDICAL workers at Ndejje Health Centre IV in Wakiso district went into hiding when health state minister James Kakooza made an impromptu visit to the facility on Friday.
Kakooza’s visit followed a complaint from a patient over lack of drugs.
The patients reported to the minister that they were charged sh2,000 for pain killers.
“Is this a Government facility or a mosquito-breeding ground? How do you expect people to be free from malaria when the health centre is bushy like this?†asked Kakooza, calling for the arrest of the in-charge of the health unit.
He was later told that the in-charge, Dr. Adam Mbaya, had gone for further studies.
The new in-charge, Peter Ssenyonjo, told the minister he had only been at the facility for three weeks.
“We do not have money to slash the bushes,†he said.
“The Government releases sh5m for contractual work every month, where does that money go?†Kakooza asked.
“Minister, we pay for each and everything here,†complained a pregnant mother.
Kakooza demanded to see the drug stores where he unearthed a collection of drugs.
“You are telling the patients you do not have drugs. What are these? Whom are you keeping these drugs for? You are the people selling government drugs,†he observed.
Kakooza told the district health officer to make a report on the disappearance of drugs.
Herbert Kabafunzaki, the Makindye Ssabagabo aspiring LC5 councillor, said the health centre serves nine parishes in Makindye Ssabagabo, with over 200,000 people.
MEDICAL workers at Ndejje Health Centre IV in Wakiso district went into hiding when health state minister James Kakooza made an impromptu visit to the facility on Friday.
Kakooza’s visit followed a complaint from a patient over lack of drugs.
The patients reported to the minister that they were charged sh2,000 for pain killers.
“Is this a Government facility or a mosquito-breeding ground? How do you expect people to be free from malaria when the health centre is bushy like this?†asked Kakooza, calling for the arrest of the in-charge of the health unit.
He was later told that the in-charge, Dr. Adam Mbaya, had gone for further studies.
The new in-charge, Peter Ssenyonjo, told the minister he had only been at the facility for three weeks.
“We do not have money to slash the bushes,†he said.
“The Government releases sh5m for contractual work every month, where does that money go?†Kakooza asked.
“Minister, we pay for each and everything here,†complained a pregnant mother.
Kakooza demanded to see the drug stores where he unearthed a collection of drugs.
“You are telling the patients you do not have drugs. What are these? Whom are you keeping these drugs for? You are the people selling government drugs,†he observed.
Kakooza told the district health officer to make a report on the disappearance of drugs.
Herbert Kabafunzaki, the Makindye Ssabagabo aspiring LC5 councillor, said the health centre serves nine parishes in Makindye Ssabagabo, with over 200,000 people.