Once a thriving medical training ground, Kiyeye Health Center III in Nabiyoga Sub-County, West Budama Central in Tororo district, now stands in a state of severe neglect.
The facility which was established in the early 1980s with funding from the Finnish government, played a crucial role in medical education and healthcare service delivery.
Today however, its dilapidated structures and poor living conditions for medical personnel have rendered it nearly dysfunctional.
The center, which sits on nearly five-acre piece of land, was a key training site for university medical students, including those from Makerere Medical School.
Defense Minister and Member of Parliament for West Budama Central, Jacob Oboth Oboth, recalls how it once hosted prominent figures in the medical sector.
"I grew up seeing university medical students from Makerere Medical School come here. Even the current Minister of Health was here for two months for a community engagement. We have commissioners and directors in the Ministry of Health who trained here in the late 1980s and early 1990s," Oboth Oboth said.
For decades, the facility has seen no major renovations, leaving its buildings in a state of decay. The medical staff quarters, once a crucial component of the center, are no longer habitable. Many healthcare workers have been forced to commute over 30 kilometers daily due to poor living conditions.
Mary Susan Owangole, an enrolled midwife at the facility, described the hardships health workers face.
"The housing situation is really bad. The entire staff quarters leak whenever it rains. The floors are in poor condition, and there is no water supply within the facility," she lamented.
The poor state of the facility has had a direct impact on healthcare service delivery. The absence of on-site medical personnel has led to delays in patient care, further straining the already burdened health system in the area.
Minister Oboth Oboth has called for immediate intervention by the government, the Ministry of Health, and Makerere University to restore the facility to its former glory.
"We want medical students to return here, but that requires improved facilities. The government, Makerere University, and the Ministry of Health must invest in this place. We cannot allow this facility to collapse," he emphasized.
Health workers agree that renovation of the facility would not only improve healthcare services but also ease their financial burden.
"If the facility is renovated, it will cut down our daily transport costs since it is far from the district headquarters. This will also ensure that patients receive quality healthcare services on time," Owangole noted.
As part of the initial efforts to restore the center, the Ministry of Defense has allocated over eight million shillings to fence off the facility. This move aims to protect the land from encroachment and vandalism before more significant infrastructure improvements are undertaken.
"With this fence expected to be completed within the week, we believe that the security of medical equipment and other facility resources will improve. After this, we can focus on further infrastructure development," Oboth Oboth stated.
The fate of Kiyeye Health Center III now rests on the willingness of stakeholders to act swiftly.
With its rich history of training medical professionals and serving the community, the facility’s restoration is not just a necessity but a commitment to better healthcare for the people of Tororo.