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BY GOODLUCK MUSINGUZI AND RICHARD DRASIMAKU
TEREGO: FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2025
There is mix of anticipation and excitement among the residents of Anufira parish in Omugo sub-county, Terego district as the long delayed construction of the Mount Wati Health Center III nears completion.
The residents are elated that finishing of the works would soon pave way for installation of equipment and stocking of medicines that health services would, after three years of waiting, come closure to them.
During the 2022/2023 Financial Year, the government handed sh854m to Rhema Engineering Co. of radiologist Ronald Debo for construction of a maternity ward, staff house and a VIP latrine.
This was a nine-month project but which after three years is just limping towards completion.
What is remaining are the works of finishes and clearance both in and outside on the compound to allow the buildings to be utilized.
However, the residents are hopeful that the level of the structures will make them access services soon.
Medina Ayina, of Oboa village, is one of the immediate neighbours of the health facility and she expressed relieve that the at long last the wait is getting over.
“I want to thank the government for construction of this facility in our locality, we suffer while going to Omugo health centre IV for emergency cases due to sicknesses and deliveries,” she said.
And added: “we lack money for transport and many of our children have died and mothers delivered on the way due to long distance. If services here start we will be very happy.”
Laila Viko says the establishment of the facility makes her to forget about the incidence in which a dog almost bit them on the boda-boda while rushing her for delivery to Omugo health Centre IV from Vura village in Anufira parish.
“The dog almost bit me when I was in labor pain. It will be possible to avoid similar accidents for the vulnerable category of people in far health units from Anufira parish,” Tiko explained.
In a hilarious response, Geoffrey Adrabo, 33, from Oboa village says he is now ready to marry because maternal health services are coming closer to home.
In the absence of commencement of the services at Mount Wati, expectant mothers go to distant health centers like Cilio and Omugo health Centre IV in Terego district or Wadra health Centre III in the neighboring Maracha district.
Adrabo stated that they have already started benefiting from clean water supply attached to the project before official commissioning.
“In the past we have been suffering from health related issues, currently we are very grateful for the government intervention, we have already witnessed improvement in areas of health and sanitation because we have clean water from the borehole and tape water from motorized water system established under the project,” Adrabo noted.
Terego east MP Mario Obiga Kania, who also is the state minister for urban development, is equally happy for good progress of work in the facility.
“I feel extremely happy that I was able to together with Dr. Alfred Driwale lobby for the health centre from ministry of health for the community and I am happy that it has reached that level,” said Kania.
He added that he hopes in the few months it should be operational for the people to get the benefits.
“It is one thing where I will one time come to conclude that I negotiated for funding it, it should be finished and I should be proud that it was done during my time as MP,” Kania commented.
Dr. Alfred Driwale commissioner of health services in ministry of health says at the ministry, officials are anxious that the facility has reached this stage.
He reiterated that when the project which financed it has phased and salaries for the staff is available.
“Ministry of health mobilized resources for the health unit and the operationalization is in hands of the local government, construction of the facility has taken longer than expected, money for recruitment of staff was provided and the district is currently in the process of that recruitment which has also taken longer than expected,” Driwale said.
Wilfred Saka, Terego LC5 chairman shifted blame to the contractor of the project claiming that the district already has recruited staff and received equipment and drugs for the facility.
“There is nothing apart from the health facility taking off. We recruited staff, we are just waiting for that contractor to complete the structure, equipment and staff are there. The only bottle neck is that people who are said to be fighting corruption have caused corruption in that place,” Saka said satirically.
Additional units of outpatient department, two-units of staff houses and two VIP latrines were contracted to Dolphins Consulting Engineers and contractors ltd under Lot-7.
