Community demands improved health services at Ogom Health Centre III, Pader District

25 June 2026, 18:42

By Ekel Bonny Daniel

Ogom Health Centre III in Pader District is under severe pressure due to rising patient numbers, critical staff shortages, and wider systemic gaps that health workers and community leaders say are stretching the facility beyond its capacity.

Concerns about the situation were raised during an advocacy meeting held at the facility in Telela East Village, Ogom Parish, Ogom Sub-county, organised by the Tute Ryemo Can Youth Group, a community-based organisation supported by ADRA Uganda, Pader and Agago Field Office.

The meeting brought together health workers, political leaders, and community representatives in what participants described as a rare public accountability forum held within a government health facility.

Ms Layet Morina, Chairperson of the Tute Ryemo Can Youth Group, said the intervention followed repeated complaints from residents about delays in treatment, inadequate staffing, and poor infrastructure.

She emphasised that community monitoring had become necessary where formal systems are slow to respond, noting previous successful advocacy efforts such as the construction of a latrine at Ogom Telela Primary School.

The Officer-in-Charge of Ogom Health Centre III, Mr Richard Okot Ocan, confirmed that the facility is operating under significant pressure, with only 12 active staff members out of an approved establishment of 20.

He explained that although there are 14 staff on record, one is on study leave, another has retired, and three are currently on leave, leaving the facility understaffed.

He further noted that the centre serves over 1,000 patients every month and receives cases not only from Ogom Sub county but also from Wal in Agago District, Paiula, Latanya, Pukor, Pajule Sub-counties, and parts of Pader Town Council, making it one of the busiest lower-level health facilities in the area.

Mr Walter Olanya, Head of Village Health Teams, highlighted inadequate staff housing as a major challenge, pointing out that only three staff houses are available.

He said many health workers commute long distances daily, resulting in late reporting and fatigue, which directly affects service delivery.

Mr Emmanuel Oyoo, Chairperson of the Health Centre Management Committee, pointed to ongoing infrastructure gaps, including insufficient storage space for medical supplies and the absence of essential facilities such as a kitchen.

Mr Oyoo appealed to the community to take greater responsibility for the health facility by safeguarding its infrastructure, preserving public resources, and supporting initiatives that enhance healthcare services in the area.

The meeting also raised concerns about vandalism targeting health infrastructure, including the destruction of the facility’s fence, which Mr Oyoo said undermines public investment and increases insecurity at the facility.

Ogom Sub county LCIII Chairperson, Mr Amone Bosco, responded by ordering stricter enforcement measures and directing security personnel to arrest those responsible.

He also clarified that oversight visits by political leaders are intended to enhance accountability rather than harass health workers.

The LCIII Chairperson further promised to take action against unethical health workers, including recommending their transfer, in order to improve professionalism and service delivery at the facility.

Ms Beatrice Akello, Head of Nursing Services at Ogom Health Centre III, described the operational pressures and patient-related challenges facing the facility, noting that many patients arrive in critical condition after first seeking treatment from informal providers.

She also raised concerns about what she described as intimidation by the LCIII Chairperson, alleging that health workers are sometimes confronted in the presence of patients without due regard for their professional dignity and patient privacy.

She also called for greater mutual respect between patients and health workers.

Ogom Sub county Youth Councillor and Secretary for Health, Mr Robert Ocaya, urged residents to treat the facility as a shared public asset while encouraging health workers to maintain professionalism and compassion.