{UAH} Abim residents want hospital ward named after Besigye

Abim residents want hospital ward named after Besigye

During his presidential campaign visit to the rundown hospital, Dr Besigye in the company of journalists accused the government of President Museveni of neglecting the health sector for the past 30 years he has been in power

Wednesday September 21 2016

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Ex-FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye tours Abim hospital during presidential campaigns early this year. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LIBOWA. 

In Summary

• Residents said this would work in appreciation of Dr Besigye's effort towards raising the red flag they said forced the government to prioritize the repair of the hospital.
• The rot in the hospital was widely covered in the media and the three nurse who conducted Dr. Besigye around the run down health facility nearly lost their jobs.

By Steven Ariong

Abim. It started as an impromptu visit to Abim hospital last December by Dr Kizza Besigye, but there is no doubt that the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) former presidential candidate is now a hero in the eyes of Abim residents.

During his presidential campaign visit to the rundown hospital, Dr Besigye in the company of journalists accused the government of President Museveni of neglecting the health sector for the past 30 years he has been in power.
Days after Dr Besigye's widely publicised visit, Pal Globe Engineering began a Shs700 million renovation works at the hospital with physical improvement to the structures and more manpower added to handle patients.
Although the government says it had already earmarked funds to rehabilitate several of the hospitals, Abim residents attribute the hospital's new look to Dr Besigye's intervention.
They now want the hospital to name one of its ward after Dr Besigye.

They said this would work in appreciation of Dr Besigye's effort towards raising the red flag they said forced the government to prioritize the repair of the hospital.

The new look of Abim hospital after it was renovated. Photo by Steven Ariong

Mr Peter Ocheng, one of the elders of Abim town council, said had Dr Besigye not visited Abim hospital, the government would never have renovated it.
"Besigye's visit was a wakeup call to the government to repair the hospital. If it wasn't for his intervention, we would still be sharing the hospital with rats, snakes and bats," he said.
The hospital had been operating without a resident doctor for nearly three years.
The rot in the hospital was widely covered in the media and the three nurse who conducted Dr. Besigye around the run down health facility nearly lost their jobs.

Josephine Akidi, a mother and a resident of Alerek in Abim, said Dr. Besigye deserved to be appreciated for his role.
"Naming any ward in the hospital would work as an appreciation to him," she said.
However, the assistant Chief Administrative Officer Abim, Mr. Nelson Olwit, said there was no need to name the ward after Besigye.
"That's their demand but what did Besigye do to improve Abim hospital? There is nothing.When Besigye came to Abim, government had already made plans to renovate the hospital and the money was already budgeted for the renovation.

Gwokto La'Kitgum

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