By Juma Magino
BUSIA
The Busia district Local Government has not yet replaced the medical store facility that got burnt to ashes last year.
This was revealed yesterday, 15/03/2023 by the District Health Officer, Panyako Wabwire while receiving a consignment of medicines from National Medical Stores at the district headquarters.
In July last year, fire destroyed the Medical store facility and destroyed the entire building including the office of pensions and gratuity, which was also housed in the medical store.
The cause of the fire was attributed to a shot circuit, but analysts said the building was deliberately burnt down to kill evidence, to foil the investigation after Peter Ogwang, the then state minister of economic monitoring in the President’s office accompanied by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, stormed Busia district a month earlier, and grilled technical officers making them record statements.
Ogwang’s abrupt visit was in response to Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the district chairperson’s invite to the Auditor General, Inspectorate of Government, State House Anti-Corruption Unit, and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), to conduct a special audit over alleged embezzlement of Shs7b.
Panyako told this reporter that the absence of a medical store facility has made it difficult for the health authorities to store medicine before it is dispatched to the over 30 health centers within the district.
He added that he has on several occasions written to relevant authorities to respond to this issue but in vain.
He also said that the Health department in the district is grappling with challenges of inadequate funding which has greatly affected service delivery.
Busia has at least 31 Health centers and one General hospital located in Masafu Sub County. He says HCIIs receive shs2 million every quarter, HCIIIs receive shs4 million, and Masafu General Hospital receives shs 150 million which according to him is not enough to cater for all activities.
