Access to maternity services in Kabingo and other parishes in the mountainous sub county of Munkunyu has been so hard to achieve because of the terrain of the area with very poor access roads. The only functional facility in the area has been a health Centre II which offers only OPD services to the community and the nearest facilities being Nyabirongo, Kagando and Intergrated in Kinyamatseke Town council which are not easy to access especially during emergencies.
The community outcry was answered when government prioritized upgrading Kabingo Health Centre II to a health Centre III however delivering of materials to the site still remained the challenge because vehicles could not reach the site. This made it so hard for the contractors to implement the project and definitely affected the planned project cost in consideration of the accessibility of the site.
The community which never accepted loosing such a lifesaving project joined hands with the contractor to carry materials to the site manually. Women , men and the youth of Kabingo offered their backs and heads to carry materials to the site to enable the contractor to start the construction.
This project was launched yesterday by the Deputy RDC LT. Maate Magwara in witness of the LCV chairperson represented by the secretary for works, representative of the CAO Mr. Kikusa Mustafa and his technical team from the district, subcounty leadership and the community.
The projects include construction of a Maternity ward and the relevant facilities and staff house.
According to the Acting District Engineer Mr. Asiimwe Ronald, the Maternity ward constructed by Mariam and Brothers Company limited is to cost 895 million and the staff house contracted by Tobis construction company LTD is to cost over 184 millions.
During the launch, the Deputy RDC LT. Maate Magwara said that government is committed to extending services to the community through implementation of the policy of upgrading health Centre II’s to ensure that atleast every Subcounty has a Health Centre III.
He called upon the community to utilize the facility effectively to prevent maternal deaths since services have now come closer to the people.
Mr. Magwara also urged the Kabingo community to work hard to fight poverty in the community through positive utilization of government programs like PDM to stop earning from hand to mouth.
The District Chairperson who was represented by the Secretary for Social services Hon. Baluku Karim Kisembo appreciated members of the community for showing patriotism and supporting the contractor to deliver materials to the site .
He called upon the community to ensure maintenance of the facility once it is constructed and to utilize it for their wellbeing.
The Chef Admistrative Officer who was represented by his Principal Assistant Secretary Mr. Kikusa Mustafa appreciated the neighboring community for accepting to surrender their land to government to buy it for the project. He encouraged them to continue supporting implementation of the project to conclusion.
The LCI Chairperson, Kyibisire Village Mr James Katuramu appreciated government for extending services to the people in the mountains of Munkunyu and for reaching the ground to monitor implementation and ensuring the projects get officially launched.
He appealed to the government to also consider extending water to the community.
Kabingo Health Centre III is going to save mothers who have been moving over 10 Kilometers to have their babies and the facility is going to have health workers at the station fulltime since accommodation will be available.
This will improve delivery of health services to the community of Munkunyu and their neighbors.
The end.
