BUYENDE, UGANDA: Residents of Gumpi Sub-county in Buyende district are now hopeful of getting a health facility after spending good years seeking medication from the neighbouring facilities in Kaliro district.
Locals say they have been travelling long distances as far as Nawaikoke health centre in Kaliro to seek medication and this led to an outcry for consideration by their immediate leaders.
However, on Friday the Buyende District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon Nakato Mary Annet fulfilled her pledge to have the community helped by offering 20,000 bricks, sand and cement which will complete the structure to house the new health centre II.
This was revealed in a meeting with LC 1 chairpersons, LCII chairpersons, councillors and other leaders from Kimbaya parish, Gumpi parish and Inuula parish which was held at Gumpi Church of Uganda primary school on Friday.
Ms Nakato revealed that her contribution comes as a fulfilment of her promise to spearhead the drive of constructing a health facility in Gumpi Sub-county.
“I promised to give Gumpi Sub-county OPD when I was campaigning, but even though the Ministry of Health is still constructing health centre II, they want to find a sign of commitment and it’s the reason I have started on this task and very soon the ministry will come and add on,” Hon Nakato said before adding that her people have been seeking medication from Nawaikoke in Kaliro and others have been going to Kamuli district.
The legislator assured the people of Gumpi that the government finalized the process of giving them a seed secondary school and that its construction will resume anytime.
Meanwhile, the LC3 Chairperson Gumpi Sub-county, Mr Walugambire Simon commended his fellow leaders who make up greater Gumpi for demanding for the health facility and thanked Hon Nakato for fulfilling her pledge to start the initiative of the health centre.
Mr Walugambire said that after curving off Gumpi from Bugaya Sub-county, they have been lagging behind in service delivery since their allocations are still considered under Bugaya.
“What the ministry hasn’t realized is that we’re now independent from Bugaya and the population is bigger compared to the part which remained.”
We continue urging the government to continue supporting us through these leaders such that our people can taste the impact of our government,” added Mr Walugambire.
Some of the leaders who met with Hon Nakato said they have been seeking medication from afar and commended her for starting up the project with cement, bricks and sand. They noted the challenges of moving long distances of over 25 kilometres to access health facilities and others have been dying on the way in for medication.
“We move long distances from here to Nawaikoke in Kaliro district but we thank our MP for spearheading to see that we get a medical facility. When someone is very ill, most of the time they die on the way before reaching health centres in the neighbouring regions,” Nakisuyi Madina, a councillor from Kimbaya parish said.
The LC1 chairperson Inuula trading centre, Mr Mugaya Isifu told DailyExpress that there is a need for government to continue helping their region with services like education, and health, among others. He also cited the need to have clean water like boreholes, power extension and emphasizing government development programs.
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