Ntete health centre 3 patients lauds government for fighting NCDs 

By Darlington Mabonga 

Sembabule 

The patients suffering from non communicable diseases [NCDs] challenges at the Ntete health Centre 3 in Sembabule district have commended the government for improving services delivery at their facility despite notable hurdles like drugs stock outs.

They have urged their district local government authorities to consider leading the mobilization drive to form the patients diabetes and hypertension support groups to empower them in pulling together resources to purchase drugs once stockouts occur.

The concerns came to light recently during a guided field visit to the facility by a delegation of journalists on a fact finding mission to measure the impacts of the strategic WHO/world Diabetes Foundation [WDF] funded project in Uganda being implemented jointly by the ministry of health and district local governments exclusively targeting diabetes and hypertension burden.

The broader aim of the project is to measure the impacts and effectively inform policy direction for future interventions including possible roll-out in the near future.

Kekuro Yona 58 a resident of Kemigina village in Nakasenyi sub county Sembabule district who claimed to be both a diabetes and hypertension patient speaking on behalf of his colleagues who had come to the out patient department [OPD] clinc told reporters that they appreciate the improved health care services rendered to the locals especially conducting a joint clinic for similar diseases.

He observed that the new system has enabled them access services timely and promptly however expressed concerned about the frequency of drug stock outs at centre.

We appreciate the noticeable improvements in health care services delivery here at our Ntete health Centre however government should now focus attention to the frequency of drugs stock out which annoys most of us because we make long journeys to reach here but once we are not given our drugs as scheduled which is disappointing, lamented Yona.

The facility medical clinical officer Nuwahereza Agatha who stood in for the in charge Dr.Kiwanuka Marhew confirmed the drugs stock out challenges they encounter saying the drugs consignments delivered by the National medical stores [NMS] comes timely but are few due to the increase in the number's of patient visitors.

Agatha noted that NMS supplies most NCDs drugs except for diabetes in the recent past as the number of visitors surge past 3,500 on a quarterly basis.

She commended the ministry of health for its technical capacity support which has enabled them implement the new integrated patients management services program were all adult patient visitors to their facility are screened for all NCD related medical conditions.

We currently do not have a patients support groups initiative here as it is elsewhere however given that it is an initiative and guideline of the world health organisation [WHO] ,we shall soon 

implement it such that patients can willingly make monthly financial contributions towards purchase of their drugs during stock outs at the center for continuity.

Agatha thanked the ministry of health and the district political leadership for fronting Sembabule as one of the four pilot beneficiary districts in the country for the high profile WHO/WDF funded project saying it had restored hope among the thousands of the Diabetes and hypertension patients in the district. 

The facility medical clinical officer Nuwahereza Agatha during the interview