Derrick Ampereza
Canon Florence Katunguka, a retired civil servant and former Assistant District Health Officer in charge of maternal and child health for the Rukungiri District Local Government, has urged the Ugandan government to address the issue of understaffing in health facilities to improve health services. This call to action follows the recent International Nurses and Midwives Day celebration in Rukungiri District, where Katunguka was honored with a medal and certificate for her extraordinary performance by the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union.
A nurse and midwife by profession, Katunguka highlighted the overwhelming workload faced by midwives in maternity wards due to insufficient staffing relative to the number of pregnant mothers. She urged the government to consider recruiting more midwives to alleviate this burden. She also pointed out that many qualified nurses and midwives remain unemployed, a situation exacerbated by the government wage bill for the health sector, which she believes should be revised to enable the recruitment of more health workers.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts to improve health services, Katunguka noted that health workers often face the challenge of stagnant career progression despite years of dedicated service, which undermines their efforts to provide better care. She expressed gratitude to the government for the salary increases for health workers, which have been motivating, and called for a rise in pensions for retired health workers.
Reflecting on her 25 years of service from 1996 to 2021, Katunguka praised the government’s initiatives in health sensitization, which have led to an increase in the number of women giving birth in health facilities, now at about 80%. She stressed the need for expedited construction of a hospital in Rukungiri to provide affordable health services to the local population.
In conclusion, Katunguka expressed no regrets about her career in healthcare, proud of the many lives she saved and touched. She emphasized that nurses are the backbone of every healthcare system, calling them the frontline superstars of patient care.
