Refugee camps get new health facilities worth Shs287m

The refugee communities in Kyaka II settlement camp, Kyegegwa District, have reason to rejoice as two health facilities, Kakoni and Kaborogota, received a much-needed facelift with new facilities each.

The new facilities were made possible through funding from the World Food Program, which provided Shs287.3 million for the project.

A charitable organization called Save the Children International Uganda spearheaded the construction of the two new facilities, aiming to address the challenges faced by health facilities in providing maternal child health and nutrition services to refugees.

The new facilities will not only serve as treatment centers but also act as waiting shades for patients in the refugee settlements. The handover of facilities to the government took place on Thursday.

The clinical officer in charge of the Kaborogota health facility, Vincent Nyamgweso, said the facility serves a population of around 20,000 people from both the settlement and host communities.

“This time our health indicators on reproductive health are to improve. Previously, we would on average receive 40 pregnant mothers per day while children coming for immunization were between 40 to 70 per day but now we know the number will increase because those who have been fearing to come will,” he observed.

A leader of Save the Children at the Kyaka II Field Office, Barbara Nyamwiza, said the entire settlement camp is divided into nine zones, each with its own health facility. However, she noted that many facilities at the camp are in need of renovation, with patients sometimes exposed to harsh weather conditions while waiting for medical services.

Loe Asiimwe Mugabe, the assistant commandant of Kyaka II refugee settlement camp and in charge of health and nutrition in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), stressed that the new facilities would help address space constraints.

“We appreciate WFP for supporting us with funding to save the lives of children in Kyaka II and Rhino Camp and for the two new facilities.  Patients especially mothers will not be hit by the sun anymore or wait for long,” she added.

Emily Doe, the head of the area office for WFP Southwest, expressed her satisfaction with the project while refugee Victoria Nambooze said they will resume seeking nutrition services which had stopped due to inadequate infrastructure at the facilities.

“I also appeal for further upgrades to enable the provision of maternity services which would save mothers from having to travel long distances to give birth,” she remarked on Thursday.

Uganda is home to more than 1.5 million refugees, according to official figures.