Presidential guards give back to Kisenyi residents

By Andrew Ssenyonga         

Close to 600 patients Tuesday thronged Kisenyi Health Centre IV for free medical services offered Police Presidential Guards (PPG).

The personnel treated patients with a number of conditions that included malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, TB HIV/AIDS counseling among others.

Apart from the treatment the presidential guards were also involved in the cleaning exercise at the centre.

Police presidential Guards (PPG) cleaning during their community policing exercise at Kisenyi Health Center IV Kampala on 13 Oct 2015. Photo by Ronnie Kijjambu       

According to commandant PPG, Charity Bainababo the personnel were overwhelmed with high number of patients who turned up with malaria and diarrhea.

"Many of the patients, we have treated are mainly suffering from malaria and diarrhea a sign they don't sleep under treated mosquito nets or stay in hygienically vigilant," she explained.

She added that she was surprised to find out that many of the patients that seek treatment from the centre come as far as Wakiso, Mukono and Kayunga.

The commander of the Police presidential Guards (PPG), Charity Bainababo (right) leads members of PPG in the community policing exercise at Kisenyi Health Center IV Kampala on 13 Oct 2015. Photo by Ronnie Kijjambu                     

"We are very grateful for this offer made by our police. This is a confirmation that our police is pro- people," Resty Nalugwa a patient said.

Usually armed with guns, for the change of syndrome, the guards were equipped with brooms, spades, slashers and medical equipment to clean Kisenyi health Centre IV and offer medical services to the residents.

Donning the police uniform, the officials scrubbed the Centre's corridors, toilets, unblocked the drainage system and slashed the compound.

Several were seen administering medications to patients and also helping mothers who were in labour.
Bainababo said the activities were part of the on-going community policing exercise that police is conducting.

"Apart from the cleaning exercise and the free medical services, we have also donated relief and medical items to patients," Bainababo explained.

The donations included two labour ward beds, pampers and powders for babies, eggs, sugar, and medicine among others.

She added that these are some of the community services that they are carrying out to show care and love to the community.

"In past, we have extended these services to Mulago hospital, Sanyu Babies Home, Naguru hospital, among others.  The activities included male circumcision aimed at reducing the infection rate of HIV/AIDS, and immunising children as a way of giving back to the communities," she noted.

She tasked all police personnel country wide to ensure clean surroundings wherever they worked.

"The personnel should participate in social service activities in their respective places of work and motivate people to take the right path," she noted.

The Centre's divisional medical officer Dr. Richard Walyomo hailed the personnel for the move, describing the cleaning of the centre and offer free medical services as very essential.

He however noted that the centre is sometimes hit with the shortage of drugs and funds.

"We receive over 500 patients and we give out almost all the drugs in three days leaving the centre experiencing shortages of drugs," he explained.

He asked government improve on the Centre's funding and medicine allocation.

"The numbers of patients are for regional hospital yet the medicine we get is an allocation for a health centre IV. We need more funds so that we cater for the drug shortage," he added.