TEREGO DISTRICT'S HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE GETS A FACELIFT"

By Martin Anguyo

Arua City

The long-awaited upgrade of Itia Health Center II to a Health Center III in Olea Parish, Katrini Sub County, Terego District, has finally taken off, marked by the commencement of construction of a modern maternity ward exciting locals. This pivotal development is poised to bring maternal health services closer to the populace, thereby alleviating the considerable challenges faced by expectant mothers in the area.The health center serves not only the residents of Katrini Sub County in Terego District but also extends its services to individuals from Aroi Parish in Alikua Sub County and Kijomoro Sub County in Maracha District, where government health facilities are notably distant. 

Adnan Dramadri, the site engineer overseeing the project, which has been awarded to Yumbe-based SHWA Traders' Enterprises Limited, revealed that due to financial constraints, the initial phase of the project will focus on completing the slab within a one-month timeframe starting from May 2025. According to Dramadri, the design of the facility encompasses a comprehensive array of amenities, including a waiting area, reception, dispensing room, medicine store, counseling room, treatment room, diagnosis room, and EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization) rooms, although the current contract is limited to the slab level. The project has generated employment opportunities for 19 local residents, who are engaged in various capacities, including fetching water over long distances, cooking, and serving as casual laborers.

Henry Wadribo, the chairperson of the health unit management committee, expressed immense delight and relief at the new development, highlighting the pressing need for improved healthcare infrastructure in the area. "Patients have faced considerable difficulties due to the lack of a waiting area, often standing in the sun when the benches under the veranda are occupied, and seeking shelter in staff quarters or under shops in Itia Trading Center during rains," Wadribo disclosed. He further emphasized the committee's profound appreciation for the government's allocation of funds for the project, expressing hope that it will attract additional resources and projects to elevate the health center's status and enhance services for the catchment areas within Katrini Sub County, Maracha District, particularly in Alikua and Kijomoro Sub Counties.

Rophine Afimani, whose home is near the facility, expresses his satisfaction with the government's continuous commitment to improving the facility. Afimani noted that the expansion of structures would bring about significant change, particularly in addressing the challenges faced by expectant mothers who previously had to travel long distances. "Our midwife was transferred to Yinga Health Center due to the lack of a maternity ward, and women are suffering to trek long distances to Oriajini Hospital, Wandi, and Chilio Health Center III in Terego District, and A'bia Health Center in Maracha District for labor," Afimani remarked.

One expectant mother in the area expressed gratitude for the initiation of the project but emphasized the need for its timely completion to alleviate the suffering of expectant mothers during labor. "We receive all antenatal and postnatal services here except during labor, especially at night when boda-bodas in Itia Trading Center have returned home and are reluctant to offer transport due to insecurity caused by youths on the way, leading to home deliveries and associated complications that endanger the lives of both mothers and their babies," Likico stressed.

The upgrade of Itia Health Center II to a Health Center III is a significant step towards enhancing maternal healthcare services in the region, and its successful completion is eagerly anticipated by the local community.Cover photo: Workers at the construction site