Columbus Tusiime
24 June 2008
Kampala — Bundibugyo has asked the Ministry of Health to increase the number of doctors in the district. According to the LC5 chairman, Jackson Bambalira, the district has only one doctor, Dr. Steven Ssesanga. He is based at Bundibugyo Hospital, which is crowded with patients.
The district health officer, Dr. William Sikyewunda, said they had met with the ministry officials over the matter. "Since the outbreak of Ebola that was confirmed in the country on November 24, 2007, I have been in talks with the Minister of Health, Dr. Stephen Mallinga, but we have failed to reach a conclusion."
The acting chief administrative officer, Jane Katusiime, said the district council had resolved to give each doctor deployed in the district a top-up of sh500,000.
"But nobody is interested in working here despite the fact that we promised to give health workers more money. Many health centres do not have staff houses, making doctors to shun the district."
Bundibugyo is among the hard-to-reach areas in the Rwenzori region.
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