Alworoceng HC II overwhelmed with clients as nearby facilities are flooded by water

Ibuje, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Alworoceng HCII in Ibuje sub-county in Apac District is overwhelmed by a huge number of patients following the closure of two health facilities in the sub county.

St Anne’s Hospital, a private health facility found in Amii parish and Aganga HC III located at the lake shores are completely flooded and have since stopped functioning.

At St Anne’s hospital, the overly flooded compound and houses is now being used as a fishing ground by communities whose gardens were submerged by water.  Patients who used to visit both facilities have now turned to Alworoceng HC II for health services. Those who require specialized services are forced to travel to Apac General Hospital, which is close to 20kms away.

According to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines, a Health Center II is mandated to offer services in the Out-Patient Department- OPD, Antenatal and Post Natal Care (PNC) and immunization.  Services like deliveries are not offered at a Health Center II. Currently, Alworoceng HCII attends to an average of 140 OPD visits per day and 40 antenatal care visits per week. 

Mothers requiring delivery services are referred to either Apac General Hospital or Ibuje HCIII whose roads are flooded. This has forced some mothers to deliver their babies in canoes as they are transported to the facility, according to some reports. 

Charles Otucu, the in-charge of Alworoceng explains that the facility is generally stretched with a rapid increase in OPD attendance.  “The closure of Aganga HCII and St Anne’s hospital that has been supporting our facility in handling referral cases since all our clients are supposed to be referred to HCIII has really affected a number of people within the community because a number of malaria especially severer cases that are supposed to be linked to a higher level is not possible,” said.

He further explained that mothers who are forced to deliver from home but later come to the facility are attended to with help from Ibuje HCIII, which is almost 40Kms away at the lake shores. 

He says the most common cases they attend to are of malaria, which is caused by mosquitoes breeding from the floods.  Malaria cases at the facility rose from 56 in the month of March to 296 in June and 353 in October 2020. Juliet Amongi, a midwife at the facility says they are incapacitated and are unable to help the mothers who come to the facility seeking help.

The jolly midwife says if a maternity ward can be constructed at the facility, it will help to handle the mothers and save them from dangers that come with unsafe delivery.

Henry Odur, a resident of Amii village says the closure of St Anne’s hospital has proven to be a big challenge. According to him, the hospital was nearby and one could easily get all the services they needed including minor surgeries but now they have to travel long distances and at a high cost. 

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