*BARYOMUNSI COMMITS TO SUPPORT KIGEZI HEALTH SECTOR, CALLS FOR STRONGER DISEASE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION*

Story by Kobugabe Joanita – Communication Officer, Rubanda DLG

KIGEZI – The Minister for health Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has committed to continued support for the health sector in the Kigezi sub-region, pledging to consistently attend the Kigezi Regional Joint Review Mission (JRM) to help address challenges affecting healthcare delivery.

Dr. Baryomunsi made the commitment while addressing stakeholders during the 4th Kigezi Regional Joint Review Mission, where health leaders, government officials and other stakeholders gathered to review progress, identify challenges and develop strategies for improving health service delivery in the region.

He apologised on behalf of the Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, who was unable to attend the meeting, and thanked the organisers for initiating the JRM, as well as health workers for their continued efforts despite the challenges they face.

Baryomunsi said his interest in participating in the health sector review was not to arrest health workers but to understand the challenges they face and provide the necessary support.

“My interest is not arresting, but giving support to health facilities,” he said.

He noted that some of the challenges raised require government intervention, while others are technical and can be addressed through improved management, supervision and professional support.

The Minister expressed appreciation for the work being done by health workers at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, saying he has consistently been impressed by the services provided at the facility.

He observed that health workers play a critical role in preventing diseases and urged all stakeholders to recognise their responsibility in ensuring effective healthcare delivery.

“Every stakeholder has a role to play in health service delivery for our people,” he said.

Baryomunsi raised concern over the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and traumatic injuries, which he attributed partly to factors such as drug abuse, violence and poor anger management.

He called upon stakeholders to use the JRM platform to develop practical measures to address these emerging health challenges, while placing greater emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion.

He urged health workers to use different communication platforms to educate communities on health matters, particularly maternal health and disease prevention.

The Minister also called upon radio stations in the region to make better use of their public service responsibility by giving adequate airtime to health education.

He noted that radio stations are mandated to provide government with airtime to communicate important public health information and cautioned against allowing political talk shows to dominate programming at the expense of technical programmes that educate communities.

Need for improved health infrastructure and referral services

Baryomunsi said government is undertaking plans to strengthen the health system through upgrading existing facilities rather than continuously constructing new lower-level health centres.

He revealed that Health Centre IVs are expected to be upgraded into community hospitals, while existing Health Centre IIs will increasingly be upgraded instead of constructing more facilities of the same level.

He said the government is also working towards ensuring that every sub-county has a Health Centre III.

The Minister further disclosed plans to improve staffing levels in the health sector, with the number of health workers expected to increase significantly, including an increase in the number of medical officers.

He said infrastructure development will also be supported under UGFIT Phase II, aimed at strengthening health facilities and improving the working environment for health workers.

He also highlighted the need for stronger referral systems, saying each constituency should have an ambulance to facilitate timely referral of patients from lower-level facilities to higher-level health centres and hospitals.

Baryomunsi revealed that there are also plans to establish a hospital in Rukiga District as part of efforts to bring specialised health services closer to communities.

The Minister cited the death of a mother and child in Kashambya, Rukiga district as an example of the consequences of inadequate emergency transport.

He said the recent incident, in which patients reportedly relied on a local stretcher due to poor transport arrangements, demonstrated the urgent need to strengthen the referral system and emergency response mechanisms.

He said government and other stakeholders must work together to ensure that patients can access health facilities quickly, especially during emergencies.

The meeting also highlighted challenges surrounding the availability and management of medicines in health facilities.

Dr. Bitekyerezo raised concern about cases where some patients allegedly exaggerate or fabricate symptoms and conditions in order to obtain medicines.

He also raised concern over the theft and misuse of medicines, noting that some of the commonly stolen commodities include antimalarial medicines and malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).

He urged health workers to ensure that medicines are prescribed and dispensed appropriately and rationally, while strengthening accountability mechanisms to prevent wastage and theft.

Baryomunsi acknowledged that drug stock-outs remain a challenge, despite Parliament's continued lobbying for increased funding for medicines. He attributed part of the pressure on medicine supplies to the high patient workload experienced by health facilities.

He also appreciated private-for-profit health facilities for supplementing government efforts in providing healthcare services to communities.

Baryomunsi called for increased investment in the training and welfare of health workers, noting that a well-supported workforce is essential for quality healthcare delivery.

He also suggested that government should consider reviewing the retirement age for health workers, particularly specialised professionals, because the country continues to face a shortage of consultants.

He urged authorities to pay greater attention to the welfare concerns of health workers and create an environment that enables them to serve communities effectively.

He further emphasised the importance of regular monitoring and supervision of health facilities, saying supervision should be aimed at supporting health workers, identifying challenges and encouraging teamwork rather than simply punishing individuals.

Baryomunsi called on all stakeholders to maintain a strong focus on local communities and ensure that health policies and interventions respond to the actual challenges faced by people at community level.

He encouraged stakeholders participating in the JRM to treat the review as an opportunity to identify practical solutions to health sector challenges and strengthen collaboration among government, health workers, communities, private health providers and other partners.

The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to participating in future Kigezi Regional Joint Review Missions, saying continued dialogue and joint action are essential to improving healthcare delivery across the region.