The government of Uganda has allocated over Ugx 1.8Bn for upgrading infrastructure facilities in five health facilities in Nabilatuk district under a loan from the government of Italy.

The five health facilities include Natirae Health Centre II, Nayonai-Angikalio Health Centre II, Lolachat Health Centre III, Lorengedwat Health Centre III, and Nabilatuk Health Centre IV.

The revelation was made by Sylvia Vicky Awas, the Nabilatuk District Woman Member of Parliament, while addressing residents of Nayoroit cell in Arengesiep ward, Nabilatuk town council.

Awas expressed gratitude to the government for considering Nabilatuk district as one of the beneficiary districts, which will help in the improvement of health services.

“Nabilatuk is given Ugx 1.8 billion as the government has now approved the Italian loan of 10 euros that was approved by parliament only specifically to address health sector infrastructure, so we are sourcing for the contractors. With that support from the government, we want to thank the President for his wise idea, his wise thinking about Karamonja, and having it at heart. We appreciate the government for that effort, and we hope to work with them when they come down to the districts,” she said.

According to Awas, the upgrade is targeting the construction of a theater, an outpatient department, and a medical store at Nabilatuk Health Centre IV, while the other facilities will have a standard outpatient department.

Nabilatuk district has six health facilities serving a population of approximately 102,500 people, and these include one HCIV, two HCIIIs, and three HCIIs, which are mostly along the roads, affecting the population in hard-to-reach areas.

Whereas 86% of the Ugandan population accesses health care within a radius of 5km, in Karamoja, only 17% are within the recommended radius of 5km.

According to the Ministry of Health Facility inventory for 2018, communities in Karamoja walk between 20 and 30 km to access referral services.