Calls Grow to Upgrade Kashambya Health Centre III as Poor Infrastructure Continues to Endanger Patients

Local leaders in Rukiga District have renewed calls for the government to upgrade Kashambya Health Centre III in Kashambya Sub-county to a Health Centre IV and rehabilitate its deteriorating infrastructure, saying the facility is no longer able to meet the healthcare needs of the growing population it serves.

The renewed demands come weeks after the health centre attracted national attention in July 2026 when media reports exposed its dilapidated infrastructure and poor working conditions.

Kashambya Health Centre III serves residents of Kashambya Sub-county, neighbouring Nyakishenyi Sub-county in Rukungiri District and parts of the hilly Mpungu Parish in Hamurwa Sub-county, Rubanda District.

The facility’s Outpatient Department (OPD), constructed in the 1970s, has a leaking roof that allows rainwater into the building, exposing medicines to damage. Severe congestion has also forced dental, injection and pharmacy services to operate from a single room.

Its only ward, built by World Vision in 1998, accommodates male, female and paediatric patients while also serving as the maternity ward, labour room, laboratory and Chronic Care Clinic. The building has developed large cracks on its verandah, raising fears that it could collapse during a disaster such as an earthquake.

The facility has also gone for months without running water after its main water tank collapsed and was destroyed. Two other water tanks are non-functional, forcing health workers to fetch water in jerrycans for maternity and laboratory services.

The labour room is in a poor state, with a damaged delivery bed forcing midwives to place newborn babies on a table immediately after birth while attending to their mothers. Handwashing facilities are worn out, compelling staff to rely on water poured from jerrycans during deliveries, increasing the risk of infection.

Mothers admitted to the maternity ward are required to bring their own blankets and bedsheets, while the absence of privacy curtains leaves new mothers exposed when seeking assistance after delivery.

The Chronic Care Clinic also operates in an open space without partitions, compromising the privacy of patients receiving treatment for HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma and mental health conditions.

Health workers are equally affected by poor infrastructure. Staff houses were constructed without kitchens, forcing workers to cook on verandahs. Staff toilets and bathrooms have collapsed, leaving health workers to share sanitation facilities with patients or use toilets at the Kashambya Sub-county headquarters.

Some have resorted to bathing in the open at night due to the lack of private facilities. The poor state of the health centre was recently raised on the floor of Parliament by Rukiga District Woman MP Dr Sylvia Alinaitwe Mwanaki and Rukiga County MP Patrick Katabazi Kiconco, prompting Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi to make an impromptu visit to the facility.

During the assessment, Joram Niwagaba, the district councillor representing the area, said upgrading Kashambya Health Centre III to a Health Centre IV would bring critical services, including surgical operations, closer to residents who currently travel long distances to Mparo Health Centre IV.

He said the poor condition of the facility discourages many residents, especially expectant mothers, from seeking antenatal and maternity services.

Brenda Oshabahebwa, a clinical officer at the facility, said the health centre treats about 700 patients every month and expressed hope that the minister’s visit would accelerate government intervention.

Kashambya LCIII Chairperson Elineo Bandaganiire called on the government to upgrade Kashambya Health Centre III to a Health Centre IV and elevate Bucundura Health Centre II and Nyakashebeya Health Centre II to Health Centre III status.

He said the area’s rugged terrain makes access to healthcare difficult, particularly for expectant mothers, and appealed for an ambulance, noting that emergency patients are currently transported on boda boda motorcycles and makeshift stretchers.Bandaganiire said four patients had recently died after failing to reach the health facility in time because their families could not afford transport.

Responding to the concerns, Dr Baryomunsi acknowledged the poor state of the facility, saying he had witnessed firsthand the challenges facing patients and health workers.

He said the Ministry of Health would dispatch a technical team to conduct a comprehensive assessment and develop plans for constructing modern infrastructure at the health centre.