For 19-year-old Titus Kabanda, a student at St. Mathias Magada Secondary School, a toothache has turned into a two-month ordeal.
Kabanda, a resident of Buyange Village in Magada sub-county, sought treatment at Magada Health Centre III last month but was referred to Nsinze Health Centre IV, the district referral facility, for surgical extraction.
Health workers told him both facilities lack a dental chair and other essential equipment.
“The facility lacks a dental chair and other essential equipment,” he was told.
At Nsinze, patients are forced to seek services at Iganga Nakavule Regional Referral Hospital or Bugiri Hospital.
“I have endured the pain for the past two months because I cannot afford transport to Iganga or Bugiri, as I am not working,” Kabanda said.
He said rural residents and learners are the worst affected.
Dr Bright Isabirye, a dentist at Nsinze Health Centre IV, said the absence of a dental chair makes procedures difficult.
“When a patient sits on a plastic chair, he or she is uncomfortable, and the person performing the extraction is also not comfortable,” Dr Isabirye said.
He said the only service offered at Health Centre IIIs and IV in the district is tooth extraction.
“A dental chair enables teeth cleaning, cementing, root canal and surgical extraction, but these services are unavailable because we lack one,” he said.
Dr Isabirye added that patients with severe night pain have to wait until morning because the facility lacks a dental chair with a built-in light.
Dr Allan Lubiite, the in-charge of Nsinze Health Centre IV, said the shortage has lasted decades.
“It is true that the district has never had a dental chair in the 90 years since Nsinze Health Centre IV started as a dispensary and later became a district referral facility,” Dr Lubiite said.
District chairperson David Mukisa said the district is aware of the problem but has no immediate solution as government has not provided the equipment.
Rotary Club members have pledged to lobby for support.
“We mobilise resources among ourselves to support communities. We have identified this problem and will stand with you to address it,” said Kasim Kimbwa, president of the Iganga Rotary Club.
Dr Lubiite said they will use Rotary to lobby for a dental chair and organise a fundraising run as they await government support.