Gulu District Diverts Health Centre Security Funds to Urgent Mortuary Construction.
Health facilities in Gulu District may continue facing security challenges after funds that had been set aside for fencing health centres were redirected to construct a mortuary due to pressing needs in the district.
The Gulu District Health Officer, Dr. Kenneth Cana, revealed that the district had originally planned to fence at least two health facilities every financial year to strengthen security and protect medical resources. However, the plan has been temporarily halted after 56 million Ugandan shillings were allocated for the construction of a mortuary.
Dr. Cana explained that the decision was made because health facilities in the district currently lack adequate space for managing the deceased. In several Health Centre IV facilities, the same limited rooms are being used both for treating patients and keeping dead bodies, which has created serious operational and health concerns.
According to the district health leadership, the mortuary project is considered urgent because proper storage for the deceased is necessary to maintain hygiene standards and ensure respectful handling of bodies.
Despite the importance of the mortuary project, the delay in fencing health centres is expected to prolong existing security problems. Many facilities in the district have experienced theft of valuable equipment such as solar panels, medical drugs, and other essential supplies.
Health officials also report that some community members often enter hospital compounds without authorization and use facility infrastructure, including sanitation facilities, which further strains already limited resources.
District authorities say they still recognize the importance of improving security at health centres and hope that fencing projects will resume once additional funding becomes available in future budgets.
The new mortuary is expected to improve the management of bodies within health facilities and reduce the challenges currently faced by health workers who are operating with very limited space.
By Blaq Promotionz.
