Leaders in Buliisa District are concerned about the continued habit of health staff absenteeism across all health facilities in the district.
This trend denies impoverished patients access to proper medical services.
Some attribute the absenteeism to the limited number of health workers, which stands below 60% of the required staffing levels.
Many overworked staff end up dodging duty, prompting calls for the government to increase the wage bill to enable recruitment of more workers.
The district has also lacked a substantive District Health Officer (DHO) for close to six years, a situation that officials say limits accountability and deters potential partners in the health sector.
Buliisa, one of the rural districts that make up the Bunyoro sub-region, is located on the shores of Lake Albert.
Despite government commitments to improving healthcare services across the country, including the construction of health centres, Buliisa leaders claim that most health centre structures are filled with patients who struggle to access adequate medical services due to increased staff absenteeism.
This situation has left vulnerable sick people unattended.
“This is not only happening in my sub-county of Kihungya. I’ve spoken to colleagues in other sub-counties, and at Buliisa District Hospital, it’s the same problem. It’s irritating. The public service standing orders require employees to report to work at 8 a.m. and leave at 5 p.m., but some never show up. If they do, they arrive late or leave early,” said Kenneth Tumusiime, the Kihungya Sub-County Chairman.
Harriet Atuhairwe, the Buliisa District Secretary for Health, says the problem is partly due to limited staffing.
When the few available workers get tired, they fail to report the following day.
“Look, we have a number of health facilities in the district, but we have limited staff. These are human beings who get tired. When they are exhausted, they either leave early or fail to turn up the following day. We have appealed for an increased wage bill to recruit more staff, but we are never considered,” Atuhairwe noted.
Fred Lukumu, the Buliisa District Chairman, questioned why the government does not prioritize remote, hard-to-reach districts like Buliisa.
“We are on the shores of the lake, so the chances of our people getting sick are high. They know we have poor people here. Why not equip our facilities with medicines and adequate human resources?” Lukumu asked.
Atuhairwe also emphasized that the absence of a substantive DHO has hindered service delivery.
“Every time we underperform, you can’t hold an acting DHO accountable. Without an appointment, there are limitations to their powers. We appeal for a substantive DHO. This requires an increased wage bill, I repeat,” Atuhairwe added.
While residents in urban areas can turn to private clinics when government facilities fail, the number of private clinics in Buliisa is low.
Poverty among residents further complicates the situation, as many are unable to afford private healthcare or travel to Masindi or Hoima for better medical services in government facilities.