Engola Demands Urgent Facelift for Struggling Amach Health Centre IV

What the report says

Lira, Uganda — Uganda’s Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Sam Engola, has urged the urgent rehabilitation and upgrading of Amach Health Centre IV in Lira District after reviewing conditions at the facility during a National Cleaning Day exercise. Engola, who also serves as Erute South County MP, said the centre needs structural repairs, modern equipment and better supplies to keep up with the number of patients using it.

According to Dokolo Post, the minister highlighted the maternity ward and operating theatre as priority areas. He also praised health workers for continuing to serve the community despite shortages and other resource constraints. Engola joined more than 200 residents in cleaning the health centre and nearby trading area, and encouraged people to make sanitation a daily habit rather than limiting it to monthly campaigns.

The acting in-charge, Dr. Pius Omach, said the facility has earned public trust because it offers maternity, outpatient and theatre services, but he also described major operational gaps. These include inadequate staffing, limited accommodation for workers, weak digital infrastructure, and infrastructure that has not kept pace with demand. He said the theatre depends on solar power instead of grid electricity, while space is tight in the outpatient department and laboratory.

Lira District Resident District Commissioner Lillian Eyal also used the event to raise broader concerns about staffing and accountability in government health facilities. As background, National Cleaning Day is a government-backed sanitation exercise aimed at improving hygiene and reducing disease risks, and the Amach case underscores wider challenges facing public health services in underserved areas.