Nakaloke Health Center hasn't Recieved Drugs since September

For several months now, Nakaloke Health Center in Mbale has not has essential drugs to give to its patients.



Mary Arikon, the nursing sister in charge of the health center, says the last consignment of drugs was receieved in September. She says that even then, it was not enough.



The drugs received were five tins of Septrine and Panadol and two tins of the antibiotic, Erythromycin.



Arikon says the shortage of medicine has caused a sharp reduction of patients visiting the health center. She says that despite the large population that Nakaloke Health Center serves, it receives only an average of ten patients a day.



The health center also lacks equipment to measure blood pressure and its laboratory is incomplete.



Arikon says that because of this, patients with minor ailments are sent to a family planning unit in the neighborhood for diagnosis. Even the maternity ward is too under-equipped to deal with the demand for its services.



The Nakaloke Sub-County Secretary for Health, Mohammad Wandera, says some of these problems will be solved when the new Nakaloke Health Center IV is opened next year. He says water and electricity are currently being extended to the facility in order to make it useable by the end of January.

For several months now, Nakaloke Health Center in Mbale has not has essential drugs to give to its patients.



Mary Arikon, the nursing sister in charge of the health center, says the last consignment of drugs was receieved in September. She says that even then, it was not enough.



The drugs received were five tins of Septrine and Panadol and two tins of the antibiotic, Erythromycin.



Arikon says the shortage of medicine has caused a sharp reduction of patients visiting the health center. She says that despite the large population that Nakaloke Health Center serves, it receives only an average of ten patients a day.



The health center also lacks equipment to measure blood pressure and its laboratory is incomplete.



Arikon says that because of this, patients with minor ailments are sent to a family planning unit in the neighborhood for diagnosis. Even the maternity ward is too under-equipped to deal with the demand for its services.



The Nakaloke Sub-County Secretary for Health, Mohammad Wandera, says some of these problems will be solved when the new Nakaloke Health Center IV is opened next year. He says water and electricity are currently being extended to the facility in order to make it useable by the end of January.