Drug shortages hit Kojja Centre IV in Mukono District, Over 12,000 patients at great risk!
Today morning, the office of the National Chairperson NRM-Coordinators for Greater Mukono headed by Mr Kigongo Faisal conducted random monitoring at Kojja Health Center IV, in Mukono district.
The team has been shocked to find that, the facility is in a shortage of drugs, for now, four months since the last supply from National Medical Stores. Kojja Health Center IV serves a minimum of 100 patients a day making a total of 12000 patients for four months who have not been able to get treatment from the facility with several deaths registered.
We have managed to speak on phone to the In-Charge Dr Simon Peter Kayondo who was not at the facility at the time the coordinators were on the ground and has informed our desk that, “NMS says not to have transportation means to deliver the drugs due to budget cuts. That all they do at the centre is to make immediate referrals for patients who cannot buy drugs for themselves”.
Kojja Health Center IV serves five sub-counties; Ntenjeru – Kisoga Town council, Nakisunga, Mpata, Mpunge, and Katosi T/C.
“We have lost many people in the last few months to different diseases due to lack of drugs. Many of our people are poor and can’t afford to buy drugs in private clinics,” said a patient at the health centre who preferred to remain anonymous.
HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni among the urgent directives given to his SPA/Political Affairs and PA Hajjat Namyalo Hadijah Uzeiye (Head ONC) is to find out why NMS is always burning drugs due to expiry yet there is a public outcry about the lack of drugs in government facilities.
Mr Kigongo Faisal has assured the patients and medical staff that, the matter is to urgently be brought to the attention of the President through the ONC Head and drugs will soon be delivered to the centre. He apologized to the patients and assured them that, HE YK Museveni is committed to ensuring the safety of their lives and is to fulfilling the 5 promises NRM made to Ugandans as expressed in the manifesto 2021-2026.
