Ogom sub county leaders accused of hoarding idle medical equipment

18 December 2025, 11:19 am

By our reporter

Four years on, leaders of Ogom Sub county in Pader District are still being accused of refusing to release medical equipment that remains unused at certain health facilities, despite shortages in other parts of the district.

The concerns were raised during the second phase of the Midwifery Dialogue organised by the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB), held on Wednesday at the district health boardroom in Pader District headquarters.

According to Justine Ocen, Vice Chairperson of Pader District Local Government (PDLG), Ogom Sub-County has been overstocked with medical equipment, and it is time for the leadership to take action to redistribute the surplus to facilities facing shortages.

Ocen explained that the equipment was not intended for use by a single facility alone, noting that when equipment is in excess and left idle, leaders should ensure it is put to proper use.

He added that government health facilities routinely borrow medicines from one another—a practice he described as a “government-to-government approach.” However, he cautioned that it would be inappropriate to transfer government equipment to private facilities, as this could create accountability challenges.

Responding to the allegations, the Pader District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Benson Oyoo, recounted the challenges his office previously faced while attempting to retrieve some of the equipment from Ogom Health Centre.

Dr Oyoo said it was only after Ogom Sub county leaders were summoned to the district headquarters that they were informed that all medical equipment in public health facilities belongs to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

He added that, following guidance from the district health leadership, the process of utilising or redistributing the equipment can now begin. Dr Oyoo also advised health workers that learning to properly use available equipment is both a personal and professional responsibility.

According to Anna Apio, the Assistant District Health Officer (ADHO) for Pader District, the equipment was delivered to Ogom Health Centre III by RHITES–North Acholi, a non-profit organisation funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), around January 2022.

Contacted for comment, Ojok Richard Olal, the District Councillor for Ogom Sub-County, refuted the allegations, stating that all the equipment is being put to use, with only items that have damaged spare parts awaiting repair or replacement.

Apio stated that the equipment reportedly left unused includes hospital beds, delivery kits, weighing scales, generators, furniture, and other medical supplies.

She further noted that the support also included the construction of a fully equipped maternity block at Ogom Health Centre III.