By Dyson Ebalu
Kalaki– Communities of Ocelakur Subcounty in Kalaki district have joined up to raise funds towards buying land to enable the elevation of their health centre II to health center III.
It’s recommended by the government that each sub county should have a health centre under grade three.
Now Ocelakur sub county leadership is hunting for over shillings 10 million for the said piece of land.
According to Edosu Kenneth Epiku, the sub county chairperson, the sub county leadership sat down with elders and community members and agreed that each household pays shillings 2,000 to facilitate buying this land.
Statistics show that Ocelakur Sub County has over 2,880.
Epiku says once this health center is upgraded, it will have a well needed maternity ward, an outside patient admission ward and staff houses among other facilities.
‘‘We are aware that the government wants to upgrade our health centre II to health centre III but we don’t have where to accommodate it, that’s the reason we have embarked on raising this fund as preparation before it surprises us’’, Epiku says.
Charles Okello, a resident of Katinge village in Ocelakur Parish Kalaki district said they used to trek long distances to acquire health services at Bululu health centre III, Kalaki Health center III and Lwala hospital but are now confident of having those services at their own facility when it is upgraded.
On the 28th of March 2022 Isaac Arwei Okello also donated over 5 million shillings to the leaders of Ocelakur to help buy the land.
The in- charge of Ocelakur health centre II Mary Immaculate Ajulong supported the fundraising drive by the community. She says once the elevation process is done, the community will benefit from other services rendered by HCIII.
