Leaders in Zombo district have directed scathing criticism at most health workers of Paidha Health Center III in Paidha Town Council, following a damning report about their open misconduct towards patients at the facility. #WhisperEyeNews #UgandaNews
Established in 1924, Paidha Health Center III, which is a few kilometres from Eastern DR Congo, is the only running destination for over 40,000 people from the business-oriented town and other neighbouring Sub =counties of Nyapea, Paidha, Abanga, and Athuma amongst others.
However, Concerns started brewing from a sizeable number of members of the community, over the relentless misconduct of most health workers thus the need for an immediate crisis meeting. The meeting was convened by leaders of Paidha town council, the staff and some district officials on the 7th of August.
How it started
On the 1st of June this year, An expectant mother is said to have been denied access to the maternity ward by a midwife on duty in the evening, when her condition deteriorated. She reported a case at Paidha town council, This according to the leaders opened a can of worms on series of injustices happening at the facility.
The leaders claim for long, there has been public choruses of accusations against specific workers at the facility, who have been subjecting mothers, and other patients to all forms of abuses for ages.
Albert Onega, The secretary of social services in Paidha Town Council, also the male councillor for PWDs in Paidha said, the woman who was stopped by a midwife from accessing the maternity ward reported a case to the council whilst weeping.
“Most of these workers want to kill our people, how can you bar an expectant mother from accessing A maternity ward, the woman came to us crying and what if something bad happened to her, we need the district to take those not interested to move away from this place,” Onega said.
Princess Kristober, the district female youth councillor directed scathing criticism towards midwives at the facility.
She added that most health workers are paid hefty salaries by the government and yet they are failing to serve people diligently.
” You women at the maternity ward I don’t know whether you’re trained to be so rude like that, but you should learn to give service , it’s your roles and duty, your being paid the tax players money.” She stressed.
The debate about unacceptable behaviour of most health workers at Paidha Health Center III has become a talking point amongst local leaders at funerals, churches and marketplaces.
Emilio Owonda, The chairperson of the associations of LC1s in Paidha Town Council opened a can of worms on theft of government drugs at the facility that he said has become a song and a dance including other unethical behaviors.
” Drugs are getting lost here, most of your behaviours are questionable and you are saying we politicians don’t know anything, what do you want us to do when our people are suffering, you want us to just look on? You were brought here to serve and no one will stop us “. He said.
Uganda loses 15 women each day from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes. Uganda’s maternal mortality rate is evidently high, at 343 per 100,000 live births. This according to experts is attributed to a myriad of factors which Among others include behavioural misconducts of some staff.
Francis Bolingo who sits in the social services committee, and the district councillor of Athuma sub county said what communities have detailed about gross misconduct of some staff at Paidha Health Center III is absolutely true.
He said its high time those specific workers are sent away from the facility instead of risking people’s lives.He added that the district social services committee is in full knowledge of the errant staff at the facility.
Bolingo also expressed furry at the unhygienic behavior of health workers at the maternity ward claiming that during their recent inspection, the section was oozing shocking and unwelcoming stench, yet it was under the supervision of senior staff on duty.
“The RDC , Secretary social services, district councillors and the mayor, if these people are not performing just like they are doing here, we can retire them in public interest such that they don’t complicate lives of our people.”He Said.
The most accused department are the Martenity ward and admission. The appointed chairperson health unit management committee Wilson Oaikani, has been accused by leaders of sleeping on his job.
Its high time those not interested in serving the community left Paidha health center III said Sadiki Onencan, the District councillor of paidha town council.
He also lashed at the health workers who were at the meeting boasting about their experience and education level .
” The women are coming for antenatal here but these people are insulting, beating them that their petty coat is dirty, they are smelling and these are tax payers , what we are saying as Paidha, no one will intimidate us and our mothers , whoever know that he or she cannot work in Paidha should pack and leave Paidha in peace” He Said.
Paidha health center III welcomes over 100 in the out patient department daily, and leaders say this is the only department that is doing the work diligently amidst challenges.
The LC3 chairperson of paidha town council innocent Godfrey onega revealed that, relatives of politicians are shunning the facility due to soaring relationship between politicians and health staff over service delivery demand.
He maintained that as leaders, they will not bow to pressure from the health workers who are employed by the government to serve the community.
” No one will intimidate us, but we also want to say the lives of our families to seek health services here is under question because once somebody can’t understand that he or she is at the wrong and instead appointing accusing fingers instead of being apologetic, then you should really question the integrity of such a person” Onega Said .
On several occasions, community have been voicing serious concerns about absence of health workers at the facility even during day time. It’s said after 1:00 Pm, Most health workers depart the facility leaving patients with the crisis of confidence. It become hellish in the night hours where even workers on duty are a no show on daily basis.
The leaders also expressed concerns over what they said failed administration of the facility by those mandated by law to keep the institution afloat.
The incharge of the facility Mark Oyungrwoth, Is the District coordinator of National Drug Authority.Leaders have bitterly complained of this saying, he is getting overwhelmed due to this shared responsibilities.
The relentless unethical behaviours of most health workers at Paidha Health Center III is making many people to look for alternatives. Others are going to various affordable various clinics and drug shops in the town, whilst the impoverished ones resort to herbalists and traditional birth attendants.
Paidha Health Center III in Paidha Town Council is amongst the heavily burdened six government owned health center IIIs along the international borders with DR Congo in Zombo.
What the health workers say.
Following the battery of these accusations against health workers at Paidha Health Center III,Most started playing defensively.
Draru Jane, The focal person for maternity ward blamed the District Health Officer for recruiting worst midwives as being claimed.
She also blamed politicians For peddling lies before recommending that they start recruiting their own people.
” It’s very unfortunate that the District Health Officer gathered all the worst midwives in Uganda through interviews and came and poured them in Paidha , I don’t know what he was all about” The frustrated Draru scoffed at the District Health Officer and Politicians.
A health worker also attributed some of the challenges to the staffing gap at the facility.
Wilson Oaikani, The chairperson Paidha Health Unit management committee who was accused of sleeping on his job instead throw blame at Politicians for ” peddling baseless accusations at the staff”. He threatened to resigned citing harsh working environment .
What the law say
In 2020, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Government of Uganda should provide basic maternal health care services and emergency obstetric care in public health facilities. It also recommended the prioritization and provision of sufficient funds in the national budget for maternal health care and also directed the Health Minister, that all the health care workers who provide maternal health care services in Uganda be fully trained and all health centers be properly equipped.
4 – 10 expectant mothers in Zombo deliver from home due to several factors.
Out of the District Population of 294,230, Women of productive age are 59, 434 and the expected annual pregnancy rate is 14,712 with delivery expectation of 14,123 according to a 2022 report from the District Health Department.
According to the District Health Officer of Zombo Mark Bramali, recently three mothers were made to deliver on the floor of maternity ward, and this resulted into a mother suffocating her child to death .This was as a result of misconduct.
He also acknowledged some of the concerns raised before calling for a “mindset change” amongst the staff some of which are tarnishing names of other competent staff at the facility.
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Zombo Grace Atim said the meeting was convened following a public outcry about gap in service delivery at Paidha Health Center III and she noted that the most accused department is the maternity ward. She believed with the engagement done , changes will be made to reduce the number of people who seek services from clinics and traditional birth attendants.
Paidha health center III that has been earmarked for an upgrade to health center IV , serves thousands of Population from paidha town, Other neighboring Sub counties and some parts Eastern DR Congo.
