Kalangala: US donates boat to ease transport of HIV/Aids patients

The United States has donated a boat and a van to ease transportation of people in Kalangala, particularly HIV/Aids patients who need to access health services.

The US  ambassador to Uganda Deborah Ruth Malac said that the delivered boat and vans will help to transport patients not only people with HIV/AIDS but all the patients in the district.

She promised more assistance for the people living with HIV in Kalangala including delivering health equipment.

“This boat will help patients living HIV in this areas in delivering medicines where necessary,” she said.

People living with HIV/AIDS in Kalangala district had expressed concern over inadequate means of transport in the district.

Kalangala district has 64 islands but only nine are near health units which according to health workers has made people living with HIV fail to get the necessary services.

Joseph Kagayi, the managing director of Rakai Health Science Program noted that there are so many islands left unattended in regards to health services.

"There is always need for health workers to move out and conduct outside health services in the areas where there is no health facilities because most of the areas here are badly off, and now only one boat delivered,” he said.

He noted the there is need for more boats to support the services more especially delivering drugs and transporting patients to those far health units in the district.

“We would need like three more boats small ones but of good quality to enable us to hire,” he said.