Derrick Ampereza
Health facilities in Rukungiri district have run out of ARV drugs, according to Dr. Mucunguzi Akansiima, the Rukungiri district health officer.
He revealed this on Wednesday while addressing members of the parliamentary health committee at Rukungiri health center 4, who had visited Rukungiri and Kanungu districts to assess the status of health services in the Kigezi sub-region.
Dr. Akansiima said the district is currently facing the challenge of receiving too few drugs compared to the number of patients and the growing population of Rukungiri district. He asked the parliamentary health committee to consider increasing the budget for drugs in districts based on the population in the area.
Sarah Kayagi Netalisile, the woman Member of Parliament for Namisindwa district and the chairperson of the HIV/AIDS parliamentary committee, who was among the parliamentary health committee members, noted that it is absurd that Rukungiri district is facing a shortage of ARVs. She added that ARVs should always be available since they are an everyday dose for HIV/AIDS patients, and she informed the head office to take the necessary action by supplying the districts that are running out of ARVs.
Kayangi called on responsible persons to educate and provide career guidance to HIV patients on the need to take their medication consistently if they want to live long.
