Namisindwa struggles without ambulance, district hospital
Bwayo said the district currently relies on only one regional ambulance, which is shared with other districts in the region.
Namisindwa: Namisindwa District Local Government has appealed to the government to provide the district with an ambulance and establish a district hospital to improve access to emergency and specialised healthcare services.
The appeal was made by Namisindwa District Chairperson Emma Bwayo in a letter dated September 3, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Health.
Bwayo said Namisindwa, which is marking ten years since its establishment, serves a population of about 264,000 people with only 10 Health Centre IIIs and four Health Centre IIs.
He noted that the district has neither a Health Centre IV nor a district hospital, a situation he said has made it difficult to handle emergencies and provide adequate healthcare services to the growing population.
“The absence of a Health Centre IV or district hospital has created serious challenges in handling emergencies and providing the required level of healthcare services to the people of Namisindwa,” Bwayo said.
According to the district chairperson, the challenge has been compounded by the increasing number of administrative units, with Namisindwa now comprising 29 sub-counties, as well as the growing number of patients requiring referrals to higher-level health facilities.
Bwayo said the district currently relies on only one regional ambulance, which is shared with other districts in the region.
“With two constituencies and a number of hard to reach areas, the available regional ambulance cannot adequately serve the entire district, especially during emergencies,” he said.
He said the lack of a dedicated ambulance has affected emergency response and delayed the transportation of critically ill patients requiring referral services.
Bwayo added that establishing a district hospital would reduce the burden on neighbouring health facilities and enable residents to access more advanced medical services closer to their homes.
“A district hospital would greatly improve access to specialised and emergency healthcare services, reduce unnecessary referrals and ease the burden on patients who are forced to travel long distances for treatment,” he said.
The district chairperson has therefore appealed to the Ministry of Health and the government to allocate an additional ambulance to Namisindwa and prioritise the establishment of a district hospital.
He said the two interventions would strengthen the district’s emergency response system, improve patient referrals and enhance overall healthcare service delivery.
“We appeal to the government to consider these urgent needs as the district marks ten years since its establishment and continues to experience an increase in population and demand for healthcare services,” Bwayo said.
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