Nsubuga said much as the hospital is receiving some support from the government, it’s too little considering the overwhelming number of patients ferried to the hospital from different regions of Karamoja, Teso, Bugisu, Sebei, some parts of Kenya, and South Sudan.
The hospital, located in Matany Town Council, Napak district was built 50 years ago at the request of the Comboni missionaries. It has since become the de facto regional referral facility for the population of Karamoja, an extremely remote region, with very poor health indicators. It also serves the neighbouring districts of Teso and West Kenya.
The Catholic founded not-for-profit health facility charges 50,000 Shillings for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. It also charges a flat rate of 10,000 Shillings for any ailment and 5,000 Shillings for treating children.
But according to the Napak Resident District Commissioner Hajji Kaddunabbi Lubega, most of the nets distributed to the community have been sold. He says that some of the nets sold by locals have been sent to Kampala.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Water and Environment indicate that Karamoja is still lagging at 7.6% Hand Washing practices against the National Average of 36%. The region is also struggling with low pit latrine coverage standing at 21% against 76% national average.
Isaac Lomuria Aletia, the Iriiri village LC I Chairperson, says waragi intake is very rampant but his effort to curb the consumption has been frustrated by police in the area. He claims that the police officers are always in touch with waragi dealers and inform them of their operations. Iriiri has a police check point that controls entry and exit to Karamoja.
It is alleged that the deceased together with several others ate porridge prepared with the Super Cereal fortified flour, which had been stocked by Lucy Lochoro, a health worker at Lokopo HC111.
In Matany Primary School, girls are forced to abandon the reusable pads because of lack of water. The only water source is 700 metres away from the school.
About five people have been killed by hunger in Napak district in the last one week as food crisis intensifies in Karamoja sub region. The deaths took place some 33 kilometres from Moroto town.
Napak district local government has established an Education Fund Scheme to train their own doctors in a bid to fill the staffing gap in the district health sector.
