Residents accuse health workers of diverting goverment drugs

James Odong 12/5/2012

Residents of Katine Sub County in Soroti District have pinned medical workers in the district for allegedly diverting government drugs to their private clinics and extorting money from patients.

Gabriel Emeru,a resident of Ojom village demanded to know why government health facilities were constantly running out of drugs yet private clinics owned by some medical workers were always stoked with drugs.

“Iam wondering where does government buy its drugs; from clinics or from a place where clinics don’t buy drugs? Why don’t government health facilities have syrups when clinics have and yet this is essential drug?” Emeru asked.

Another resident, Salome Abilo from Ogolai Parish asked whether it was now a new government policy for health workers to discharge women who undergo caesarean section without removing the stitches (gauze wires).

Vincent Enomu demanded to know why Mortuary Attendants from Soroti Regional Hospital were charging shs 50,000 for releasing dead bodies from the Mortuary.

This was during the sub county fora known as Baraza in Katine sub county head quarters on Thursday 12/4/2012.Barazas are public foras where local people hold government to account for the resources spent on public programmes in their areas.

The District Medical Officer Soroti, Dr. Charles Okadhi explained that the district experiences drug stock outs because of inadequate budgetary allocation to the health sector by the central government.

“Government allocates shs 45m to Tiriri Health centre1V and its supposed to serve the whole of Soroti County which has a population of 220,000.If you  divide that money among those people in Soroti County, each will get shs 250 annually. If I gave you that money, will it help you to buy drugs for the whole year?”,Dr.Okadhi explained.

He added that health centers were experiencing constant drugs stock out because of the ever increasing number of patients suffering from non communicable diseases.

Dr. Okadhi said the Office of the RDC was already investigating allegations of some mortuary attendants charging people before releasing dead bodies.

The function which was organized by the Office of the Prime Minister was attended by the RDC Soroti Ben Etonu, LC5 G.M Egunyu, as well as heads of Departments who were led by the CAO Soroti, Charles Okello. Ends.