By Alfred Opio
Patients seeking treatment at Gogonyo Health Centre III are facing a serious shortage of essential medicines, forcing many to purchase drugs from private clinics and pharmacies.
The challenge came to light during a monitoring visit to the facility by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Pallisa District, Majid Dhikusooka, who was assessing service delivery at the health unit.
During the visit, the health centre in-charge, Solomon Okopulu, revealed that medicines supplied to the facility often run out long before the next delivery cycle due to the large number of patients seeking treatment.
Okopulu cited anti-malaria drugs as one of the most affected supplies, explaining that the latest consignment received just two weeks ago is already halfway depleted.
“We received Coartem about two weeks ago. We tried to manage it as much as we could, but with the high malaria cases you can already see we are halfway through the stock. Yet it is only about two weeks since delivery and we still have about six weeks until the next supply,” he explained.
He further disclosed that the facility is also experiencing shortages of emergency medicines and other essential medical supplies.
According to Okopulu, simple items such as medical plaster used for fixing cannulas are delivered in extremely small quantities that cannot meet the facility’s demand.
“For example, they can bring only four rolls of plaster for the entire supply cycle, yet our consumption is about one week or even less. We are already out of plaster, and explaining to a patient that they should buy plaster when the medicine is available becomes very difficult,” he said.
The health facility is also facing shortages of essential drugs for pregnant mothers, including Folic Acid tablets used during antenatal care to improve blood levels.
Okopulu noted that the quantities supplied are too small to last even two weeks despite the high number of expectant mothers attending antenatal services at the facility.
He also raised concern over the shortage of mama kits, which are normally given to expectant mothers during antenatal visits to help them prepare for safe delivery.
“Previously they would deliver mama kits in large quantities, but in the most recent cycle none were supplied. The few remaining ones may not last the next ten days,” he said.
The drug shortage is also affecting patients suffering from chronic illnesses such as HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, and hypertension, conditions that require continuous medication.
Okopulu revealed that the facility is currently left with only one box each of Nifedipine and Amlodipine, drugs commonly used to manage high blood pressure.
“Gogonyo has one of the highest numbers of patients with chronic conditions. The drugs we have left may not last more than ten days, yet these patients require consistent treatment,” he added.
In response, RDC Majid Dhikusooka acknowledged the concerns raised by the health workers and pledged to engage the area Member of Parliament, Derrick Orone, to explore possible interventions to address the persistent shortages at the facility.
Dhikusooka emphasized the importance of ensuring that government health facilities are adequately stocked with essential medicines so that communities can access affordable and reliable healthcare services.
The situation at Gogonyo Health Centre III highlights the challenges many rural health facilities face in meeting the growing demand for medical services across Uganda.
