By Stephen Enatu
Nabilatuk District officials, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), held a significant event on January 14, 2025, to officially hand over health facility sites to Rhino United Agencies.
This action marks the beginning of infrastructure upgrades funded by an Italian loan as part of the Italian Loan Health Facility Upgrade project.
The initiative endeavors to enhance healthcare access across 33 health facilities in the Karamoja sub-region, with five facilities in Nabilatuk District set to receive essential upgrades.
The project is financed by a €10 million loan from the Republic of Italy, translating to approximately UGX 3.5 billion dedicated to Nabilatuk.
Key improvements to be made at the health facilities include:
Nabilatuk HCIV: Construction of a modern operating theatre.
Lolachat HCIII: Establishment of an Outpatient Department (OPD) block.
Natirae HCII: Construction of an OPD block and a two-stance pit latrine.
Nayonai-Angikalio HCII: Construction of various facilities including a two-unit staff house, two-stance pit latrine for staff quarters, four-stance drainable pit latrine, and an OPD block.
Lorengedwat HCIII: Construction of a staff house to improve worker conditions.
Dr. Timothy Musila, the Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships at the MOH, expressed appreciation for the patience exhibited by the Nabilatuk District throughout the project’s lengthy timeline, which traces back to the 2015 Karamoja Infrastructure Development initiative.
He emphasized that the handover represents not just procedural fulfillment but also the commencement of actual construction work.
Furthermore, he highlighted the need for teamwork and strict oversight to ensure that the project meets its quality standards, including compliance with environmental and social safeguards.
Chief Administrative Officer Richard Madete called on the contractors to ensure adequate staffing for effective project delivery.
He also encouraged Rhino United Agencies to engage in additional community service initiatives as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility commitments.
Peter Amodoi, representing Rhino United Agencies, responded positively by committing to the utilization of local materials and labor to promote community engagement, assuring stakeholders of a timely and high-quality project completion.
To maintain oversight, ICM Consultancy has been appointed by the MOH to supervise the implementation of the project, in collaboration with the district’s technical team.
The entire project is anticipated to span 18 months.
Despite this progress and the associated optimism, Madete raised concerns about the relevance of the project in addressing current healthcare challenges, reflecting on its initiation nearly a decade prior.