By Alex Gahima
The Kisoro Municipal Town clerk Sharifa Nakintu has said Government is preparing to disburse funds meant for the construction of a modern staff house at Zindiro HC III in Kamonyi parish, Northern ward, Kisoro Municipality.
According to Sharifa, a total of 150 million shillings has been set aside for the staff house at Zindiro HC III however since the hospital does not have land to accommodate the project, the money is likely to return back to central Government in July 2022.
Sharifa says, during a stakeholders meeting held earlier this week at the Kisoro Municipal offices, local leaders including the Kisoro Mayor and other opinion leaders agreed that, the communities in Kisoro should be part and parcel of the process to buy land for the health facility.
“As a municipal authority, we do not have the land to construct the staff house for our health workers. We also do not have the money to purchase land in Kisoro, therefore we want the people to come together to raise funds for the land and then donate it back to the Municipality where we shall build the staff house, Nakintu explained.
According to Nakintu, if the area Members of Parliament, Ministers, business community and the church can rise to the occasion, the project will entirely be owned by the Kisoro people.
She says, Government is often disadvantaged when doing business with individuals or communities because they often tend to over hike the value of items, especially land.
“We believe the land we are interested in ranges from between 20 and 50 million shillings therefore, if the good people of Kisoro and unite for this noble cause, the health workers will have a place to stay, while on duty, Nakintu emphasized.
Zindiro HC III In charge Evarist Mbonye said his staff especially the midwives have literally been living in a medical store which is quite unacceptable.
“Most of our health workers do not come from nearby places and yet when pregnant mothers need to deliver their babies, the Midwives are compelled to stay as long as necessary, even if it means sleeping in a store, Mbonye explained
He further says, the health facility which has become popular among the residents in Zindiro is now serving people from as far as Mutanda, Rubuguri and people from the Democratic republic of Congo.
Mbonye says since the hospital does not have staff housing, patients come and wait until health workers start arriving.
The health facility manages to serve at least 50 patients daily, 1,200 out patients every month and 120 deliveries have been carried out in the last six months.
“We are meant to work 24hours however, with the current conditions, most of our staff work 12 hours which is not fair to the people who need services, Mbonye said
He called on the public to unite for the betterment of the district because disease knows no boundary and sees no color of skin.
“Let us put politicking aside, religion and other underlying sentiments that often affect development projects in our district, instead let us come together, those who can afford to bring a cup of beans, a goat, 10,000 shillings to millions of shillings, let us so together that Zindiro HC III can continue to serve you better, Mbonye said.
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