The legislators made the call following an incident that highlighted the glaring gaps in the health sector within the region
KAMPALA, Uganda, August 16, 2022/APO Group/ –Members of Parliament on the Committee of Health have promised to lobby government for better health services in the Busoga Sub-region.
The legislators made the call following an incident that highlighted the glaring gaps in the health sector within the region.
The incident involved a woman, Lydia Nekesa who lost her baby and uterus due to mismanagement at the medical centres she was taken to.
Nekesa was admitted to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital after presenting with a ruptured uterus and still birth from Domiciliary Clinic in Idudi Town Council in Bugweri District.
The clinic failed to manage her and referred her to Busesa Health Centre IV before she chose to go to Jinja Hospital.
The committee interfaced with the leadership of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and the District Health Officer of Bugweri District, Dr. Peter Muwereza on what they termed as mismanagement of the case.
Hon. Esther Mbayo, the District Woman MP for Luuka criticized the District Health Officer for the poor health services in his area of supervision
Hon. Esther Mbayo, the District Woman MP for Luuka criticized the District Health Officer for the poor health services in his area of supervision.
“The fact that this woman and many like her have to go to a domiciliary clinic and later Jinja Referral Hospital, skipping all health centres in the district is an issue of concern,” Mbayo said.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Dr. Charles Ayume commended the management of Jinja Referral Hospital for doing their best to save Nekesa’s life when she was brought to them.
However, he said that the theatre attendant, Bizibu Suubi who tried to extort Shs150,000 from the patient should be subjected to disciplinary action and serve as an example to others.
“You must do something about Suubi because he is the same person who assures patients that the doctors come to work at 1pm painting a wrong image of you,” Dr. Ayume added.
Dr. Ayume said that the committee will push for a blood bank in at least every district or referral hospital.
He also proposed trackers for ambulances to curb on their misuse.
“The other day we found an ambulance in Ntungamo district, ferrying pineapples from a market,” he added.
Dr. Ayume cautioned Muwereza on being hard to reach and very difficult to deal with.
OTHER ARTICLES
Zambia : The vital role of community health assistants in public health surveillance
Lusaka — African health ministers and partners are calling for increased investment in integrated health services to address the growing burden of severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly those affecting women and underserved populations across the region. At a high-level side event during the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, delegates emphasized the urgent need for equitable access to prevention, screening, treatment, and rehabilitation across the continuum of care for NCDs. Disparities are especially pronounced in rural areas, where health infrastructure and services remain inadequate. Breast and cervical cancers are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa—particularly cervical cancer, which is both preventable and treatable. It remains the most common cause of cancer death for women in the region. In 2022, Africa accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of the 76 000 global cervical cancer deaths. Meanwhile, severe NCDs such as Type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart conditions claim more than half a million lives annually, including among children, adolescents, and young adults in some of the continent’s poorest communities. Inequitable access to health services continues to hinder efforts to reduce this burden. To improve cervical and breast cancer care in the region, urgent investment is needed in leadership, governance, and financing. Strengthening these foundations is critical in the current funding landscape. Advancements in strategic planning, healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and—most importantly—equitable access to screening, diagnostic, and treatment services are essential. To address these challenges, WHO and its partners showcased successful integrated models such as the Women’s Integrated Care for Cancer Services (WICS), the BEAT Breast Cancer Project, and the PEN-Plus Strategy. WICS strengthens early detection, treatment, and integration of women’s cancer services into primary health care systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The BEAT Breast Cancer Project is a transformative multi-year initiative aimed at reducing breast cancer mortality among women in Tanzania and Ghana through early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment access. “PEN-Plus, WICS and the BEAT Breast Cancer Initiative are models for a new standard of care, rooted in equity, access and health justice. I urge countries to prioritize policies that embed these models into broader health system strengthening, said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa”. Côte d’Ivoire offers a compelling example of progress, combining high HPV vaccination coverage—reaching over three million girls (91.4%)—with WICS-supported community-based screening campaigns to strengthen cervical cancer prevention. In Kenya, cervical cancer screening has been successfully integrated into national health services. “This gathering marks a pivotal moment to accelerate action for breast cancer prevention in Africa. We deeply value the leadership of the Ministries of Health of Ghana and Tanzania, and the steadfast support of the Pfizer Foundation in helping us achieve this milestone. The side event builds momentum for the policy prioritization of women’s cancers, partnerships to strengthen the broader women’s cancer ecosystem, and advance a health-systems approach to breast cancer prevention and management”, said Dr Somesh Kumar, Senior Director, Jhpiego. PEN-Plus expands access to care for severe NCDs at the district hospital level. Since its implementation, 20 countries in Africa have increased access to services for severe NCDs. Over 15 000 people are currently receiving treatment for chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease and Type 1 diabetes through PEN-Plus clinics.
Confirmed Case of Mpox in Senegal: Situation Update (as of August 27, 2025)