KAMPALA — Rukiga District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Sylvia Tumuheirwe Alinaitwe, has called on Government to give Rukiga special priority in the rollout of the Community Health Extension Workers programme, citing the district’s significant gaps in access to healthcare services.
Speaking in Parliament while reacting to a communication on the Community Health Extension Workers programme, Dr. Alinaitwe welcomed the Government initiative and supported the plan to extend it to all districts across the country.
Dr. Alinaitwe noted that Rukiga District is among the areas that have not yet been covered by the programme, and urged Government to ensure that the district is considered in the next phase of implementation.
She explained that the situation in Rukiga is particularly challenging because the district does not have a hospital, a community hospital or a referral hospital, leaving many residents without nearby health services when they need urgent medical attention.
The legislator further pointed to Rukiga’s hilly terrain and poor road network, which she said make movement difficult and further complicate access to health facilities for communities across the district.
According to Dr. Alinaitwe, these challenges have left many people suffering because they have limited access to nearby healthcare services, particularly during emergencies when timely medical attention is critical.
She therefore made a direct appeal to Government to take Rukiga’s circumstances into account when determining the districts to benefit from the next phase of the Community Health Extension Workers programme.
“Rukiga District is one of those districts that are not yet covered,” Dr. Alinaitwe told Parliament, emphasising the need for the district to be considered as the programme is rolled out across the country.
Dr. Alinaitwe concluded by urging Government to give Rukiga special attention in the forthcoming implementation of the programme, saying bringing frontline health workers closer to communities would help address some of the healthcare access challenges faced by her constituents.
