Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

Members of parliament on the parliamentary committee of national economy expressed their displeasure last week to the minister of health, Jane Aceng, over what they said is a worsening provision of health materials and nursing care in most government hospitals across the country.

The committee chaired by the MP for Nakaseke North, Syda Bumba, was querying reasons outlined by Aceng, for members to approve a proposal by government to secure a loan worth USD110 million to support the reproductive, maternal and child health services in the country.

The MPs wondered why loans are secured for health sector but that there are no drugs in most health facilities across the country. Legislators why there is still only one doctor supposed to cater for many patients moreover on very low pay an issue that causes patients to lose hope in some hospital because they have poor service delivery.

MPs who included: Mbale Municipality MP, Jack Wamai Wamanga,Mukono South MP, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga ,Soroti Municipality MP,Herbert Ariko, Gomba West MP, Kalule Ssengo and Kioga County MP,Anthony Okello, said that because of the government is  neglecting the provision of hospitals materials the burden is put on members of parliament .

Committee that is Chaired by the Nakaseke North MP, Syda Bumba.

MPs said that it has instead become their role to equip hospitals with beds and mattresses in order for them to reduce on the number of patients sleeping on floor while they are admitted in government health units.

“It is painful as a member of parliament to pay for these hospital materials when the people we represents pay taxes to government. Where does all this money go for government not to be able to deliver proper health services to its people,” wondered, Jack Wamanga Wamayi, the Mbale Municipality MP.

Herbert Ariko, the Soroti MP on the other hand wants the ministry to be in charge of managing the children births in health centres by giving hospitals children wards with beds to avoid the existing situation where 7 children are put on one bed after mother delivering.

“You visit a hospital and see a whole bed is crowded by mothers looking after their children before being discharged. As a ministry you need to find a way of providing beds for new born babies to avoid overcrowding that is currently experienced in many hospitals especially upcountry,” said Ariko.

Kioga County MP, Anthony Okello, also said priority for the ministry of health should focus on providing beds in the health centers in his area and that he is willing to cater for supply of mattresses.

Aceng, however, assured the legislators that once they approve the new loan from the World Bank, there will soon see improvements on health Centre III and IV to improve on maternal and child health services.

She said the ministry will put the money in good use putting into consideration all their concerns.

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UMEME MD Selestino Babungi.

While planting the first batch of 1500 trees at Salama school for the blind in Nakisunga sub county in Mukono district ,UMEME Uganda’s managing director, Selestino Babungi, said that they have a role to conserve the environment  since the company is one number user of trees cut for poles.

Babungi says that between 50,000 to 100,000 poles are used by UMEME every year, and that in the last 10 years alone, half a million trees have been cut for poles.

Babungi adds that UMEME will facilitate the planting and maintaining of the trees until they grow.

A Umeme operator disconnects power from a pole.The company uses 50,000 to 100,000 poles annually.

However, Mukono South MP, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga, asked UMEME to sensitize all their agents not to cut the all trees but trim them to get poles.

The post Nature Uganda and UMEME partner in 1 million tree planting drive for the next 5 years. first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.