Ministry of Health to Upgrade Rukoki Health Centre IV
The government will construct a Health Centre III in Bulembia Division, Kasese municipality instead of revamping Kilembe Mines Hospital-KMH, this is according to the Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng.
Rukoki Health Centre IV will also be upgraded to a district hospital status.
According to a statement issued by Aceng, the ministry will not rescind its decision to withdraw government support to Kilembe Mines Hospital. She noted that Kilembe Mines is situated a long River Nyamwamba catchment area with a history of recurrent strong floods and they cannot continue providing funds to the hospital that is prone to recurrent destruction.
In a statement addressed to Members of Parliament on the health committee, the minister said that government is pursuing the revamp of Kilembe Mines and hospital and this will further improve the health services in the area.
She said that upgrading of Rukoki Health Centre IV and construction of Bulembia Health Centre III will increase access to primary health care services to the catchment population of Kilembe mines hospital. PHC funds will now go to Rukoki Health Centre IV.
However Aceng did not indicate when the developments will start.
Last week, the health committee of Parliament asked the Ministry of Health to reinstate Kilembe Mines Hospital on the list of facilities that qualify for essential medicines and health supplies.
The Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine wrote to the Executive Director of Joint Medical Stores-JMS on December 2, 2022, asking for the deactivation of the hospital from the list of facilities that qualify for essential medicines and health supplies.
According to the communication, the hospital had failed to utilize funds for essential medicines and health supplies during the first quarter of the financial year 2022/23 covering the period between July and September 2022. The facility has been receiving 354 million Shillings annually.
The ministry directed that the money should be reallocated to other health facilities in Kasese district and Kasese municipality, a decision which sparked angry reactions from different stakeholders.
