Uganda: Kitwe Health Centre Iv Struggles With Staff Shortage As Deliveries Reach 220 Monthly

Kitwe Health Centre IV in Ntungamo District is struggling to meet growing healthcare demands with a severely limited workforce, handling up to 220 deliveries a month with just eight midwives and two doctors.

The facility's location near Uganda's borders with Rwanda and Tanzania also attracts patients from beyond its immediate catchment area, further stretching the available staff and resources.

The health centre is about 8km south of the triborder post of Kagitumba.

Dr Sebastian Mugumya, the facility's in-charge, says staffing levels are inadequate, leaving health workers overworked as they attend to maternity cases and other medical needs.

"The whole facility, we are at 25 per cent. I only have eight midwives and two doctors. We overwork. Handling big numbers when we are very few, we get burnout," Dr Mugumya said.

The shortage puts additional pressure on the available personnel, who must manage routine maternity services alongside emergencies and other medical conditions.

According to facility management, patients from neighbouring areas, including those across the borders, also seek treatment at Kitwe, increasing the workload. Some patients reportedly arrive without caretakers, leaving them with limited support during treatment.

Expectant mothers also face challenges accessing care, particularly those who travel long distances only to find the facility crowded.

Bridget Ninsima, a mother who sought services at the facility, said overcrowding sometimes leaves patients with limited space.

"We find challenges in movement. At times, we reach here and find the facility crowded, with some patients on the floor," she said.

Despite the constraints, Kitwe Health Centre IV conducts between 150 and 220 deliveries every month, including approximately 50 to 60 Caesarean sections, highlighting the demand for maternity services and the need for adequate staffing and infrastructure.

"The theatre operates Monday to Sunday," Dr Mugumya said.

In an effort to improve access and movement for expectant mothers, the Lions Club of Ntungamo has donated a sheltered walkway and supplies to support mothers heading to the operating theatre for surgery.

The donation is expected to ease movement within the facility, although the reported staff shortage remains a major challenge as health workers continue to handle the high patient numbers.

Read the original article on Nile Post.