Youth monitors expose health, education service gaps in Amuru
He acknowledged the concerns raised in the report and said complaints regarding understaffing had already been forwarded to district authorities.
Amuru: Youth leaders in Amuru District have raised concerns over deteriorating health and education services following a monitoring exercise conducted under the Youth Action for Transparency and Accountability Project, supported by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE).
The findings, collected between March and April 2026 by trained youth monitoring groups, were presented on May 28, 2026, during a stakeholders’ dialogue attended by district leaders and representatives from Lamogi, Guru Guru, and Pabbo Town Council.
According to the report, communities across the district continue to face significant challenges in accessing quality public services. The monitoring exercise highlighted severe understaffing at health facilities, shortages of ambulances and mortuary services, poor sanitation conditions, and dilapidated school infrastructure.
At Pabbo Health Centre III, youth monitors reported acute shortages of health workers and essential maternity equipment, a situation they warned is placing mothers and newborns at increased risk.
In the education sector, monitors identified overcrowded classrooms, high school dropout rates among girls, and a critical shortage of desks. At Agole Primary School, some lower-primary pupils were reportedly forced to study while seated on the floor due to inadequate classroom furniture.
Pabbo Town Council LCIII Chairperson, Camhara Richard P. Okumu, acknowledged the concerns raised in the report and said complaints regarding understaffing had already been forwarded to district authorities.
He also confirmed that Pabbo Health Centre III lacks both a dedicated ambulance and mortuary, noting that the entire district currently relies on only two ambulances. Okumu pledged to address sanitation challenges and called on development partners to support improvements in school infrastructure.
Ocan Watmon, a member of the Yele Ber youth group, commended FOWODE for equipping young people with the skills and platforms needed to demand accountability from duty bearers.
Meanwhile, Amuru District Female Youth Councillor V, Alinga Paska Luzinda, emphasized the importance of sustained youth engagement in monitoring public services, noting that active citizen participation is key to improving service delivery and accountability.
The dialogue concluded with local leaders signing formal commitments aimed at addressing the identified challenges and strengthening follow-up mechanisms to ensure tangible improvements in health and education services across the district.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that the commitments made during the dialogue would translate into practical interventions capable of improving service delivery and the well-being of communities throughout Amuru District.
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