WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE: PWDS/PLWHA PETITION BUNDIBUGYO COUNCIL

BUNDUBUGYO LEADERS OF THE VULNERABLE PETITION LEADERS TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS

 On 30/04/2013 a total of  27 (18 male  and 5 Female)  leaders of the vulnerable groups in Bundibugyo district held a joint campaign to engage with district leaders for improved service delivery. The team was comprised of leaders of People living with HIV/AIDS, People With Disabilities, elderly, youth and women assembled at   the Education Board room to address their petition to the district authority.  The joint annual campaign for the representatives of the vulnerable was attended by the District Chairperson, District speaker, representatives of the vulnerable groups, the community development officer and LC3 Chairperson from LCIII chairpersons, District Executive Committee from Bundibugyo District

 The representative of people living with HIV/AIDs acknowledged that People living with HIV/AIDS can access drugs but they are challenged with stock out outs as well as long distances to access their treatment.  Also Bubukwanga HCIII, Kakuka HCIII and Kikyo HCIV were accredited to provide ARVS but there was no single drug disbursed at these health centres thus the PLWA have to walk long distances to Bundibugyo and Nyahuka to access treatments and this is evidenced by long queues at Health centres.  Lack of Nutritional support to PLWAs has resulted into poor drug adherence and reaction was also a major concern for the PLWA.   The representative noted that the budget for PWAS is in words but not in action by the district.

The Bundibugyo District Chairperson Women council was concerned of fact that women in Bundibugyo districts have   continued to be vulnerable with limited budget allocation like special grants is only 3 million shillings per financial year for IGA which cannot support the needs of all women in the district let alone mobilizing them for IGA. Even when provided with the grant there is no provision for transport and monitoring in the supported project in the 15 sub counties of Bundibugyo thus poor service delivery that leads to poor yields.  The fact that the district of Bundibugyo has not fulfilled its role of cost sharing as a condition from the central government from the locally raised revenue since time immemorial was emphasized.  She could forget the fact that Bundibugyo main Hospital has no sterilizers and only depend on Buhinga Regional referral Hospital which puts women at risk in case of emergency that leads to high maternal mortality rate. The high defilement and school drop a major worry’s the future of the children in the district.

The PWDS started by recognizing the different categories  of PWDS in Bundibugyo district  as follows; the hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical impairment, mental and others with both. Even  with identified categories of PWDS  they felt they were allocated  a very small of  250,000 shillings per quarter for disability council   and this cannot care for needs of PWDS like  the  hearing impairment that need an interpreter. The fact that the PWDS grant allocation is delayed at the district level was identified as a drive to poor service delivery.   They were alarmed by the fact that EARS centre in Bundibugyo district has been turned into a radio station thus an indicator that the district is not committed to the plight of PWDS which they demanded back from the district authorities.   The issue of PWDS’s lacking mobility appliances like wheel chairs (only 10 PWDS have wheel chairs out of 37 in the district) was also raised. Local revenue has not been allocated to PWDS at both Sub County and district level and not paying attention to special needs education at the district level.

The petition for the youth was read by John Tibesigwa the secretary for finance representing the youth.  The major concerns for the youth was non- involvement or even consultation in the planning process. The fact that youth were underfunded and never received funding from the district has affected implementation of youth activities in the districts. The youth challenged the district that they have never received cost sharing of the local revenue and they were wondering where the support goes. Access to information on opportunities and scholarships was a key challenge that was faced by the youth in Bundibugyo district which they requested the district to reconsider as they only get information through “hearsay”.

 The representative of the elderly was concerned of the fact that they are discriminated in service delivery especially in health centres because they think they are only being disturbed by age.  The elderly felt that they are being discriminated in the government programs because they are looking for the active poor and because of their age they are not selected and therefore cannot benefit yet they have very many dependants.

In response to the petition the District Chairperson Bundibugyo Godfrey Baluku appreciated the fact that RWECO is making meaningful partnership and acknowledged that the petition was brief and important with all the issues. He acknowledged the fact that petition is timely as there is council in the process. He emphasized that Bundibugyo district implements inclusive planning and therefore planners need to engage with the relevant people to get the needs of the people. He acknowledged that some things have not been attended to because the district authorities have not been reminded. He informed the team the procurement process of a sterilizer is ongoing as it has been advertised in papers with money reserves. He emphasized that defilement is a collective responsibility for all the stakeholders but emphasized the responsibility of parent to teach their children morals at home.  He responded that the representatives of the vulnerable have identified the challenge of planning and budget allocation but explained that planning is based on IPF which are limited and the district authorities cannot go beyond the figures but promised to continue advocating  for increased allocation and will review the district plan to see the budget allocation for the vulnerable. He encouraged the vulnerable to form groups as this will increase their chances of assessing government programs. He informed the PWDS that the ears Centre issue has been presented to the district executive committee for follow up with UBC as it is entirely a money making institution that was given the ears Centre out of excitement. He also told the PWDS that Bumate P/S has identified as a school for special needs education. He pledged on behalf of the executive to capture all that was in the petition in the annual work plan of the district and in the district development plan which will be reviewed in the next financial year. He however regretted that the district local revenue which limits the availability of resources for cost sharing.

In attendency was RWECO Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Project Officer from Good Gope Foundation for Rural Development and Bundibugyo district NGO representatives

Compiled by

Sheila K
M&E-RWECO