Rotary Club Urges Government to Conduct Grassroots Needs Assessments

What the report says

The Rotary Club of Kampala Islanders has called on government leaders to carry out community-level needs assessments before rolling out public interventions, saying local priorities should shape service delivery. The appeal was made in Rushambya Village, Mutara Sub-county, in Mitooma District, during a medical camp and related outreach activities that also included donations to a nearby primary school.

According to Nile Post, Rotarians said the camp highlighted persistent gaps in healthcare access. Residents reportedly had to travel long distances for treatment, while some nearby health facilities lacked medicines. The outreach offered free services such as dental care, cancer screening, malaria treatment and blood pressure checks, and also distributed mosquito nets. A Rotarian from the area, Philemon Akatuhirira, said vulnerable people were among those most affected by the shortages.

The club also supported Rushambya Primary School with water tanks, gutters, shoes, clothes and scholastic materials. Its president, Bernard Ochan, said the donations followed an assessment that identified limited access to water and the need for learning supplies. The group said this approach showed why officials should first understand community conditions before deciding where to direct resources.

As general context, Rotary clubs in Uganda and elsewhere often combine health outreach, education support and water-related projects as part of community service. In this case, the club framed its message as a call for more practical planning so that government programmes better match the needs of residents in places like Mitooma District.