Kamwenge residents caught between a mill and a health centre

The maize mill that started operation in February this year, sits next to Maranatha Health Centre staff quarters (with red roofing). Photo by Stephen Wandera 

By Stephen Wandera

To have food or a health service, which should take priority? This is the dilemma locals in Kamwenge District are facing. Maranatha Health Centre under Kamwenge, a non-governmental organisation, put up its premises in 2008. It was highly welcome as it served a population of about 350,000.

“We started operations offering subsided medical service and as we talk now, there is $1.5m worth of investment and another modern theatre machine worth $500,000 waiting to be assembled,” the director, community development of Maranatha Health Centre, Kim Findlay, says.

In February this year, Garuga Musinguzi, a prominent local politician opened a milling factory close to the health centre. The factory mills maize and is a source of employment and money for a good number of people in the area. The unfortunate thing is that as it does so, it discharges the fine flour to Maranatha Health Centre wards, covering the area in flour as well as causing noise pollution.

As a result, Findlay says, they have suspended operations because it is unprofessional to treat people in an unhygienic environment that may instead lead to more infections. “Everything has been suspended due to noise and dust from the factory,” she says.

It is said that Musinguzi was attracted to invest near the health centre because of the three phase power line to the centre that can power milling machines. When contacted however, all Musinguzi said was, “I do not do interviews with people I have never met before. If they have issues, they know where to proceed,” before switching off his mobile phone.

Some people blame the district administration that is said to have issued Musinguzi a license to operate a warehouse which has since turned into a factory in the residential area of Galilaya.

Resident District Commissioner Akello Beatrice Akori, admitted that the district officials made mistakes but says they have now intervened. “I am organising a meeting between the two parties to find a solution to the problem. We were supposed to have the meeting today [Thursday] but Maranatha Health Centre directors requested for more time to have necessary documents. Kamwenge District leadership is committed to ensuring that the health centre reopens. Our people need the health centre badly,” Akori said.

Residents divided
Locals in the area are divided over the two projects. Some praise Musinguzi as a man who has improved their household income. Benon Nantukunda, a maize dealer like several other locals say there is no need for the health centre. “There is a lot of money in maize business ever since the factory opened. Before I used to buy a kilogramme of maize at Shs500 and sell at Shs650 but now I purchase at Shs650 and sell for Shs800,” he said. “Every week I sell 10,000 kilogrammes making about Shs500,000. That means every month I earn about Shs2m. This is enough money to meet my demands and pay for health care for my child. I do not care if the health centre remains closed.”

But others like Amos Bahati think the health centre is paramount. “This is the only modern health centre and it helps us a lot. There are many more small milling machines in the district. Let them take away their milling machines,” Bahati said.

The health centre is the only well equipped one in Kamwenge District, which has the leading infant mortality rates. According to the district health officer, Winnie Kabonesa Rurwanranga, the district registers 88 deaths per 1,000 live births as compared to the national figure of 64.2 dealths per 1,000 live births. Several patients are now trekking to Fort Portal and Ibanda about 70kms away for treatment.

“As you can see an incubator, oxygen concentrator and decompression suction unit among others are here and underutilised. We have been receiving patients from the whole district and far as Mubende for rabies treatment. A dose on the open market is Shs150,000 but here we charge a minimal operation fee of Shs30,000,” Maranatha Health Centre business administration manager, Andrew Sajjabi said. He is worried that the health centre could lose skilled health workers that had been attracted to the area if the standoff is not addressed.

“We have written letters to several local administrations but no action has been taken. We have also engaged with other national authorities but things are not moving. We appeal to President Museveni to intervene otherwise the Austrian government may withdraw its funding to us,” he says.

wouma@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed  on Thursday 11th April, 2013 from: http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Health---Living/Kamwenge-residents-caught-between-a-mill-and-a-health-centre/-/689846/1744740/-/cu6dct/-/index.html