Amolatar | The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a theatre at Amai Hospital was a significant community event.
However, one key person nearly missed the event: Okello Odoki Rwotlonyo, Amolatar’s Resident District Commissioner (RDC).
tndNews later learned that the RDC’s delay was due to his urgent need for clarification on the allocation of shs400 million for the hospital, which had been lobbied by Dr Agnes Atim Apea, the woman MP.
The RDC expressed concern about why the funds were divided into two parts, questioning the delay in disbursing the funds intended for the critical project.
Amolatar LC5 chairperson Geoffrey Ocen Kiring stepped in to address the RDC’s concerns, explaining that after receiving the funds, the district council approved the resource allocation, allocating shs200 million to Amai Hospital and shs200 million to Amolatar Health Center IV.
RDC Rwotlonyo expressed concern about the potential diversion of funds designated for specific sectors, emphasizing that accountability would ultimately fall on district officials if such misallocation occurred.
His caution highlighted the importance of safeguarding funds designated for healthcare improvements.
During the ceremony, the RDC thanked Professor Dr. Washington Odur Ongebo, the owner of Amai Community Hospital, for his unwavering dedication to improving healthcare services that benefit the people of Amolatar and the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, Dr. Apea, a woman MP, expressed concerns about the project’s implementation. She urged district officials to ensure that the funds are properly utilized once they arrive, expressing her frustration with the difficulties of obtaining financial support for the same project on multiple occasions.
Dr. Apea raised the broader issue of stalled projects as a result of resource misallocation, pointing out that despite her efforts, the theatre and children’s ward at Amolatar Health Center IV remain incomplete.
She reiterated that the shs400 million for the heart unit (theater) and the additional shs200 million for children’s wards were a conditional grant from the Ministry of Finance, which was directly allocated to the Amolatar District Local Government.
Dr. Apea proudly announced that, with Professor Washington Odur Ongebo’s assistance, Amai Hospital is now providing critical care to cancer patients, with plans underway to establish a specialized cancer institute.
She praised the hospital’s staff for their contributions to making Amai the leading facility in the Lango sub-region and the 21st in the country overall. She also expressed gratitude to the NRM government for contributing more than shs400 million to the hospital’s operations.
Professor Washington Odur Ongebo, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for Amai Community Hospital, had a message read by Dr. Oluru urging Amolatar residents to protect Amai Hospital and ensure that resources allocated for its development are preserved.
He reaffirmed his commitment to patient care and announced plans for the construction of a new cancer institute, emphasizing that cancer patients are currently treated at home.
The Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Amolatar stated that the initial phase of construction would cost shs189,968,200 and requested that the contractor complete the project within three months.
Contractor Ogwang Emmanuel, representing Bygon Company, assured attendees that the work would be completed as planned.
In conclusion, LC1 chairperson Amai Etoptu Simon praised the hospital staff for their dedication and excellent patient care.
He urged politicians and district officials to ensure that the resources designated for Amai are not misappropriated, emphasizing the community’s shared responsibility for their healthcare facilities.
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