The Rotary Club of Nakawa through the leadership of Amazing President Mohammed Kiggundu during the Rotary Year 2021/2022 took the initiative of giving back to the communities of Masya, Rushasha, Kyabugashe, Munyeganyengye, Nyabugando, Nyakahanga, and other surrounding villages.
In order to understand the needs of the community well and ensure that the people get what they require and later maintain their facility, a stakeholder’s engagement meeting was held on 06th February 2023 at Masya-
Rushasha Health Center II. In attendance were; Local Council Chairpersons, Youth leaders, Women leaders, Church leaders, Teachers, neighboring, Heath center in charge and staff, the Chairpersons and members of the management committee of the Healthy Center, and Rotarians from RC Nakawa headed by the Amazing president.
During the needs analysis, the following were ascertained Masya/Rushasha Health Center II is situated in Western Uganda at approximately 389km from Kampala, in Rukungiri district, Nyakagyeme Subcounty. The health center started as a Drug shop in the 1980s after the Late Kamanyi donated the land to the community for a health facility because of the Government health centers were at a long distance and without public means of transport. The Government of Uganda took on the health center and constructed an Out-Patient Block comprising of reception area, triage, treatment, and dispensary rooms. The Government has also constructed a 3-unit staff house however apparently the Askari is the only staff occupying the house. The facility also has a 2-stance VIP Latrine and a Medical Waste Pit. The Health center is not connected to the national grid although there is light-duty Solar which is used for emergency lighting of the facility and no running water at all.
To date, it has grown into a Health Center II serving Masya and Rushasha Parishes. The Health Center serves a population of 8,254 people of which 70% are women and children. Apparently, the Masya-Rushasha Health Center II is only authorized to offer antenatal services.
Since Rukungiri HCIV is 10km away and there are no dedicated emergency medical transportation services and no public means of transport, expectant mothers are sometimes forced to deliver from this Health Center which has no facilities. Deliveries are carried out in an unhygienic not furnished room which doubles as a medical examination room. The existing Health Center lacks basic antenatal, delivery, counseling, and waste management facilities hence forcing the administrators to combine women and Men in a single ward. Counseling services are also not conducted due to a lack of privacy.
Rotary Club of Nakawa seeks to construct a standard maternity ward comprising a Delivery Ward, Prenatal Ward, Postnatal Ward, Pediatric Ward, Nurse’s room, Duty Station, and Counseling room. The First phase which will involve Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Works will cost 317m. The second phase will involve equipping the facility at a cost of 100m.
