Health experts, district officials and Ministry of Health representatives have raised concerns over drug theft, inadequate staffing and other challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the Kigezi sub-region.
The concerns were raised during the two-day Fourth Kigezi Joint Review Mission, which began on Tuesday at Volcano Hotel in Rubanda District.
The review was attended by health experts, stakeholders and Ministry officials, with Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi as chief guest.
One of the major issues was the continued loss and theft of medicines meant for patients in government facilities.
Health expert Dr Medard Bitekyerezo called for tighter monitoring of health workers and recommended stronger checks to prevent illegal removal of medicines.
He suggested that health workers leaving facilities should be subjected to checks where necessary, saying some medicines are reportedly carried away in bags.
The meeting also highlighted critical staffing gaps. Dr Marion Namutebi decried low staffing levels in several districts, noting that some districts have staffing levels between 21 and 40 percent of the required workforce.
The shortage, she said, continues to affect quality and access to healthcare services.
Meanwhile, Dr. Gilbert Mateka, Kabale District Health Officer and Chairperson of District Health Officers in Kigezi, appealed to Minister for Youth, Culture and Sports Balaam Barugahara to ensure the ongoing government crackdown on corruption does not result in health workers being publicly humiliated on the basis of allegations alone.
Dr Mateka called for sufficient evidence to be presented before accusations are made public, emphasizing due process.
Minister Baryomunsi supported the call for professionalism in the fight against corruption, saying people should not be humiliated merely because they have been accused.
However, he warned that those found guilty would face prosecution and should not use calls for due process as a shield.
“We shall fight this vice of missing drugs,” Baryomunsi said, stressing that government would deal firmly with people stealing medicines meant for patients.
He said government had allocated about Shs1.7 trillion to medicines in the financial year, but expressed concern that some drugs are still being stolen before reaching beneficiaries.
He issued a strong warning to those involved in stealing medicines, saying government would apprehend and prosecute them.
He said government would “ruthlessly deal with thieves” who divert medicines and other health resources.
The minister also said government would consider increasing funding for medicines to ensure facilities have adequate supplies, amid complaints from patients who visit government health centres but fail to receive prescribed drugs.
Beyond medicine shortages and corruption, the minister called for greater involvement of religious leaders in promoting disease prevention.
He said many diseases affecting Ugandans can be prevented through lifestyle changes, early intervention, hygiene and public awareness.
He urged religious leaders to incorporate health messages into their sermons, noting that churches and mosques have large and regular audiences.
“As they prepare us to go to heaven, they should also prepare us to have good health before going to heaven,” Baryomunsi said.
He urged religious leaders to use their platforms to educate communities on prevention of HIV, hypertension, poor hygiene and other preventable conditions.
The two-day review mission is expected to assess health sector performance in Kigezi, identify persistent challenges and develop strategies for improving delivery across the sub-region.