Chesower, Bukwo District – In a departure from his recent high-profile crackdowns, Hon. Balaam has made an unannounced visit to Chesower Health Center III in Kongasis, Eastern Uganda, where he has left impressed by the commitment and professionalism of the health workers on duty.
The Minister of Local Government, who has been traversing the country under the presidential directive to “Expose the Corrupt” campaign to inspect service delivery in schools, health facilities and local government projects, arrived at the facility without prior notice at around 11:00 AM.
Unlike other facilities where inspections have uncovered absenteeism and ghost workers, Chesower presented a different story.
All staff on the duty roster were present at their stations, the facility was clean and orderly, and patients were being attended to promptly despite limited resources.
Hon. Balaam, who has in recent weeks uncovered nine ghost workers at Naiku Health Centre III in Mbale and ordered arrests over absenteeism and inflated enrolment figures in other districts, took time to interact with patients, nurses, midwives and support staff.
The minister was impressed that even with the challenges of serving a hard-to-reach community in the Sebei sub-region, the staff had maintained high standards of hygiene, proper record keeping, and presence on duty.
The health workers, visibly surprised by the visit, thanked the minister for recognizing their efforts. They however appealed for additional support, citing drug stock-outs during peak seasons, understaffing, and lack of staff accommodation and a functional ambulance for referrals to Bukwo General Hospital and Kapchorwa Hospital.
The minister noted that findings and requests from Chesower will be forwarded to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government to identify gaps and mobilize support for the facility.
The impromptu inspection is part of a broader campaign launched jointly by Hon. Balaam and State Minister for Local Government Hon. Justine Nameere, aimed at ensuring that government programmes translate into tangible benefits for ordinary citizens.
