More than 200,000 residents of Amudat District are facing limited access to healthcare as government health facilities struggle with a severe shortage of health workers. The district operates only nine government health facilities comprising one Health Centre IV, one Health Centre III and seven Health Centre IIs. Most of these facilities are located far apart, forcing many patients to walk long distances in search of medical care.
The situation is most critical at Karita Health Centre IV, the district’s main referral facility, which is operating with only 16 health workers instead of the required 130. Looro Health Centre III has just nine staff members, while none of the Health Centre IIs has more than four workers.
Dr. George Ogwang, the Officer in Charge of Karita Health Centre IV, said the shortage of personnel has made it difficult to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. He explained that the facility serves as the referral centre for the entire district and also receives patients from neighbouring Kenya, Nakapiripirit and Bukwo districts.”We are operating with only 16 staff out of the 130 required for a Health Centre IV.
Sometimes we are forced to refer patients to Kacheliba Health Facility on the Kenyan side, just 20 kilometres away, when we get overwhelmed,” Ogwang said. Dr. Ogwang, who is the only doctor at the facility, said the lack of staff accommodation forces him to stay in a hotel located away from the health centre. He added that the persistent shortage of health workers continues to delay the delivery of essential health services.
The pressure is also taking a toll on the few available health workers. Senior midwife Regina Imalingat said she works both day and night without adequate rest because there are not enough colleagues to share the workload. “I always work both day and night without resting because I am saving the lives of mothers. There is no other senior person to help me, and I cannot abandon mothers who are in labour pain,” Imalingat said. She appealed to the government to deploy more health workers, noting that the number of expectant mothers seeking skilled delivery services has continued to increase.
Acting Amudat District Health Officer Dr. Andrew Munerya confirmed that the district is operating with only about 15 percent of the required workforce. He said patients in some parts of the district travel more than 40 kilometres to reach the nearest health facility, contrary to the national policy that recommends access within a five-kilometre radius.
According to Dr. Munerya, the district has faced challenges recruiting staff due to limited wage allocations and the absence of a functional District Service Commission over the past three years. “For the last three years, we did not have an active District Service Commission until this year. We now have the wage, and we will start recruitment in the next financial year, starting January,” Munerya said. He added that funding from Italian Cooperation will support the upgrade of Katabok Health Centre to Health Centre III status, while calling on the government to invest in staff accommodation since none of the district’s health facilities has adequate housing for workers.
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Sarah Narem said the district has been engaging the Ministries of Health, Public Service and Local Government to find lasting solutions to the staffing crisis. “We have already met with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Service, and Ministry of Local Government on how to bridge the gaps in the health department. The joint ministries have analyzed how to address the staffing gaps,” Narem said.
She noted that the district now has an active District Service Commission and the required wage bill, paving the way for recruitment of additional health workers. Health officials say urgent recruitment, improved staff accommodation and expansion of health infrastructure will be critical to restoring healthcare services in the border district and improving access for thousands of residents-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
