Oruka Health Centre in Oruka Village: Photos SIMON WOKORACH
By Simon Wokorach
Nwoya: A newly established health facility in Purongo is significantly improving maternal health outcomes in Nwoya District by bringing vital antenatal care services directly to the community.
The Oruka Health Centre III operates as part of the Oruka Epicentre, a community-led initiative built by The Hunger Project Uganda to address local development challenges. Construction on the facility began in 2019 at a cost of 700 million Ugandan shillings, and it has now been officially handed over to the Nwoya District local government, the Ministry of Health, and the local community for ongoing maintenance.
The centre is situated on a 10-acre plot of land donated by residents to improve healthcare access in rural areas that previously relied on Anaka Hospital, located about 15 kilometres away. Alongside the health centre, the project has established 11 boreholes across the 11 villages of Purongo, rehabilitated six spring wells, and installed a 10,000-litre solar-powered water facility at the Oruka epicentre.
Irene Kaikaali Ssentongo, the Country Director of The Hunger Project Uganda, emphasized that the epicentre aims to foster a world free from hunger through improved healthcare and safe water access.
“The land donation reflects the self-reliance you have built in this village. Now you must protect what you have, but most importantly, protect the spirit that built it,” Kaikaali stated during the handover ceremony.
William Okot, representing the Oruka Health Centre Management, noted that the facility has restored confidence in local healthcare services within Purongo Sub-County.
“Today, one can pay between 1,000 and 2,000 shillings to come to the health centre here, compared to paying between 6,000 and 10,000 shillings to travel to Anaka Hospital,” Okot observed.
Janet Anek, a midwife at the centre, reported that monthly deliveries currently stand at 22, a figure expected to double in the coming months following the full handover to the government. Jane Akwero, a local resident, praised the epicentre for supporting both healthcare access and community livelihoods.
“We used to take our children to the hospital suffering from malnutrition, but we started learning how to care for them. Now we have food at home and water to support us,” Akwero added.
Purongo Sub-County Chairperson Ben Otto expressed optimism that the facility will meet the healthcare needs of residents in Purongo, Anaka, and Lungulu sub-counties. Meanwhile, the State Minister for Northern Uganda, Beatrice Akello Akori, commended The Hunger Project for its 25-year impact supporting local communities in Uganda.
“The partnership reflects human-centered development in healthcare, clean water, and climate-smart farming through nutrition clubs and the community food banks you built here,” Minister Akori observed.
Despite these gains, Nwoya District continues to face significant health worker shortages. Out of 673 proposed positions across the district, only 247 are currently filled. Anaka Hospital operates with 174 workers out of a required 343 (leaving a gap of 169), while Purongo Health Centre III has 17 staff members out of a proposed 43, with 26 positions yet to be recruited.
This wider 64% staffing deficit continues to hinder healthcare delivery in rural communities, particularly for maternal services, with the district recording 40% of mothers still giving birth at home.
