Zombo, Uganda: The Government of Uganda has commissioned the newly built Amwonyu Health Centre III in Aka Sub-county, a UGX 2.651 billion facility under the World Bank-funded UGIFT Programme, now fully operational and offering comprehensive primary healthcare services.
The facility, gazetted effective 1 July 2025, has been upgraded to deliver the full Uganda Minimum Health Care Package, including emergency obstetric and newborn care, inpatient and outpatient services, antenatal and postnatal care, immunisation, family planning, HIV/TB management, minor surgeries, and laboratory diagnostics.
Key infrastructure includes a modern maternity ward with a delivery suite, a general ward, a spacious Outpatient Department (OPD), two-unit staff quarters, a renovated former OPD repurposed into additional staff housing for five personnel, full perimeter fencing and advanced medical equipment valued at UGX 405 million supplied in both phases.
Construction was implemented in two stages: Phase I delivered the maternity and general ward at UGX 960 million plus UGX 205 million in specialised obstetric equipment, and Phase II (FY 2024/2025) covered the OPD, staff housing and fencing at UGX 1.2 billion, supplemented by UGX 200 million worth of diagnostic and clinical equipment.
An additional UGX 86 million from district resources converted the old OPD block into staff accommodation.
With the upgrade, annual medicines allocation has risen from UGX 14.07 million to UGX 40.09 million. Staffing has expanded from two to sixteen health workers, representing 96% of the former staffing norm, alongside a roadmap to reach the Ministry of Health’s revised target of 55 health workers by 2031 under NDP IV.
Amwonyu HC III has also been designated one of seven national UGIFT model facilities, and one of only two in West Nile, positioning it as a benchmark centre for donor monitoring and sector accountability.
During Thursday’s commissioning ceremony, the District Health Department confirmed full delivery of new equipment and noted that all minor defects identified remain under the defects liability period and will be rectified at no extra cost.
Representing the Chief Administrative Officer, Fred Cwothembu called for 24-hour service availability, strict clinical compliance and community ownership of the health facility. Ora County MP Hon. Songa Biyika Lawrence pledged to prioritise electrification and address water shortages, while Zombo Assistant RDC Bruno Mananu hailed government’s investment and urged residents to prioritise their health.
Community leaders praised local cooperation during construction, noting that no theft, conflicts or project interruptions were recorded. Mothers in the area described the project as a life-saving development that will cut maternal and perinatal deaths through improved skilled birth attendance.
The commissioning adds to the district’s expanding healthcare footprint, including last year’s commissioning of Otheko Health Centre III, which now serves more than 20,000 residents of Paidha Sub-county. Zombo District currently hosts nearly 17 health units serving a population exceeding 300,000, many of whom live along the Uganda–DRC border and frequently seek cross-border care.
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