KAMPALA — The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Anita Among has ordered the committee on Health to follow up on the Kilembe Mines Hospital and report to parliament in two weeks.
The Speaker’s order to the committee chairperson, Dr Charles Ayume follows a concern by Kasese Municipality MP; Fergio Kambale while rising on the matter of national importance, said this hospital serves a population of 500,000.
Hon Ferigo Kambale (Kasese Municipality) protested the recent abrupt closure of Kilembe Mines hospital by government which has affected health service delivery. “This decision should be reversed. And the Committee on Health should pick interest in this matter.”
Hon. Fergio Kambale was raising on the matter of national importance on Wednesday during plenary saying that closing the facility prematurely was wrong.
“We are shocked as leaders because the mothers give birth from the hospital. Our prayer is that this being an emergency, we want the decision be revised to save our people,” added Kambale.
He added that the leadership of Kasese District is in shock because the hosp is host by Kilembe and it has been serving several residents within the municipality and neighbouring community.
Kambale said that they also want the committee on health go to ground and hear the plight of the people.
“Two weeks the people decided to demonstrate over the issue. I got a call from the State minister of ICT that the matter was now a security,” Kambale added.
The Speaker noted that the people of Kasese need the hospital operational to serve the community.
State Minister of Health, Anifa Kawooya said Kilembe Mines hospital was closed due to recurrent floods from R. Nyamwamba which submerged the facility. “We are doing our best to have another alternative; there are immediate plans to construct another health center IV.”
“I share the pain with the people of Kasese and the leadership. The MPs are aware of the many floods following the repeated destruction; service delivery was allocated to the other health facility within the area,” Kawooya said.
The Minister told the House that as the ministry is planning to construct another hospital, they have ensured that health services are available to the people. Kawooya added that they are having an engagement to this effect.
This month, police foiled a demonstration by residents of Bulembia division and surrounding places in Kasese municipality. The residents had rosed to protest the decision by the Ministry of health to withdraw the credit line for medical supplies to Kilembe Mines Hospital.
