By KT Reporter
Health workers at Kyaali Health Centre III, located in Kyaali Parish, Mpigi Town Council, Mpigi District, are grappling with a dire lack of essential equipment, particularly in the maternity ward — a situation that has forced expectant mothers to travel long distances in search of better services.
The dire state of the facility recently prompted a visit by members of the Rotary Club of Sonde, who are exploring ways to uplift the centre as part of their maternal and child health interventions. Midwife Annet Nakivumbi, while taking visitors through the facility, including the maternity ward, antenatal clinic, and ART (antiretroviral therapy) clinic, highlighted several challenges they face due to inadequate infrastructure and equipment.
She explained that the facility is experiencing a significant drop in the number of women coming to give birth because most prefer going to Mpigi Hospital, where better services are available. According to Nakivumbi, multiple services — maternity, HIV treatment, and storage — are all run from a single, small building, which compromises privacy and safety for patients. This arrangement makes some mothers uncomfortable, especially when they have to collect their medication in the same space used for deliveries and other services.
She added that the facility lacks enough delivery and continental beds, and the few that are available are broken. The mattresses are torn, and there are no lockers in the continental ward. In the labour ward, there is only one foot stand, which is broken, and the grip stand is very old and non-functional. The centre also lacks drums for sterilising instruments, oxygen concentrators, and oxygen tubes.
Nakivumbi stressed the need for a dedicated maternity building so that services can be separated, and instruments sterilised in designated areas. Diana Kagere, the project and development coordinator at the Rotary Club of Sonde, confirmed that the club had adopted Kyaali Health Centre III as one of its focus areas this year. She said that although the maternity ward was initially constructed with support from the Rotary Club of Nyenga, the facility still requires substantial upgrading.
Kagere explained that their assessment revealed that the health facility urgently needs more beds, an ultrasound machine for expectant mothers, and a variety of medical equipment to enable health workers to better serve the community. She also pointed out that many preterm babies born at the facility cannot be properly cared for due to the absence of specialised equipment. Upgrading the nursery and giving the centre a general facelift are part of the Rotary Club’s long-term vision.
Kagere noted that although the facility still serves patients in a mixed capacity, their goal is to transform it into a more structured and better-equipped healthcare centre. Christine Alupo, President of the Rotary Club of Sonde, said the facility needs both short-term and long-term interventions. She noted that in its current state, the maternity ward lacks hygiene facilities like toilets and bathrooms, making it extremely difficult for mothers who have just given birth. She added that the centre does not have enough pressure machines or maternity beds, and the available space is too congested to serve the growing population.
Alupo explained that Rotary plans to implement a three-year programme to work with experts and partners to find sustainable solutions for improving the health centre. She said this approach aligns with Rotary’s commitment to building long-term impact in the communities they serve. District Governor Geoffrey Kitakule emphasised that poor health infrastructure affects not just healthcare outcomes but also education and economic productivity.
He said that preventable diseases keep children out of school and reduce the productivity of community members, noting that improving health care, especially maternal and child health, uplifts the entire community. Kitakule stressed the need for showcasing Rotary’s impact in communities like Bujjo so that more people are inspired to join the cause. He added that one of Rotary’s strengths lies in going into underserved communities like Bujjo to make a real difference in people’s lives. Residents also highlighted persistent challenges at Kyaali Health Centre III, including unreliable electricity and the lack of a diagnostic scan machine-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
