Lango leaders call for continuous training and better utilization of health resources

8 September 2026, 8:05 pm

By Baker Okello

The Chairperson of the Lango Parliamentary Group, Hon. Patrick Ogwang Obura, has called on the Ministry of Health to provide continuous professional development opportunities for health workers to strengthen their skills and improve clinical competence at the grassroots.

Ogwang, who is also the Member of Parliament for Oyam South, made the call during the third Lango Health Sector Joint Review Mission held at Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City.

He said establishing institutional pathways for further education—including specialized nursing, master’s degrees in public health, and advanced surgical training—would not only enhance the quality of healthcare but also motivate health workers to remain within the public health system.

The legislator noted that guaranteed study leave, fully funded fellowships, and accelerated promotions for health workers serving in rural communities could serve as strong incentives for recruitment and retention, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Lango LC5 and City Mayors’ Forum and Apac District LC5 Chairperson, Mr. Agech Ambrose, raised concerns over structural and logistical challenges affecting local leaders’ oversight of public health facilities.

Agech pointed to unreliable internet connectivity as a major challenge, particularly in accessing the E-Gazette at institutional facilities. He said the problem affects compliance, legal timelines, and the smooth execution of administrative responsibilities.

The Resident City Commissioner for Lira City, Emmy Lawrence Egole, urged the Ministry of Health to provide a dedicated budget for community sensitization instead of relying entirely on free airtime offered by government radio stations.

For his part, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Oyam District, Mr. Patrick Ocen Ebong, called for stronger accountability in implementing unresolved action points identified during previous Regional Health Joint Review Missions.

Dr. Andrew Odur, Senior Executive Consultant and Hospital Director at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, also raised concern over the underutilization of medical equipment in public health facilities. He emphasized the need to move from simply acquiring equipment to ensuring that available machines are actively and effectively used to benefit patients.

Dr. Odur further called for the redistribution of idle medical equipment in line with the National Medical Equipment Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, so that facilities with greater need can make use of unused resources.

Lira City is hosting the two-day 2026 Regional Health Assembly, also known as the Joint Review Mission, from September 8 to 9, 2026, at Gracious Palace Hotel.