Residents of Kitgum District have raised concerns over persistent drug shortages at Kitgum General Hospital, saying the scarcity of medicines is putting lives at risk and eroding trust in public health services. Patients seeking treatment for common illnesses, including malaria, respiratory infections, and maternal health complications, say they are often turned away or told to purchase drugs from private pharmacies.
Jane Aciro, a vendor at Kitgum Main Market, said many families, already burdened by poverty, cannot afford to buy essential medications. “We go to the hospital because it is the only government hospital we have. But almost every time, we’re told there is no medicine,” she said. Aciro, a mother of three from Pager Division, noted that last month her child suffered severe malaria, but the hospital had no antimalarial drugs.
“The hospital tested him, but there was no medicine. I had to borrow money to buy them,” she added. Michael Komakech, a boda boda rider in Kitgum Municipality, said drugs for common illnesses are consistently unavailable, as doctors often direct patients to buy from drug shops or pharmacies outside.
Health workers confirmed intermittent drug supplies have been an ongoing challenge. They cited limited budgets, inadequate supplies, and an increased patient population as key causes. Geoffrey Akena, a gynecologist at the hospital, explained that the facility, built 88 years ago with a 100-bed capacity, now supports 300 inpatients daily.
“Because of the many people the hospital serves, the drugs supplied by the government sometimes last only two weeks instead of two months,” he said. The hospital serves 48,000 people in Kitgum Municipality, in addition to patients from Abim, Karenga, Pader, Agago, Lamwo districts, a section of Gulu, and thousands of refugees from South Sudan.
Alex Komakech Aboda, the senior hospital pharmacist, acknowledged the residents’ concerns, noting that the government provides only half of the drugs requested. Akena attributed the problem partly to the high number of government-aided health facilities across the country.
Aboda further argued that uniform budget allocations for drugs across general hospitals, regardless of population size, contribute to frequent shortages.
Residents questioned why drugs in the hospital’s private wing are always available and expensive despite being a government facility. Aboda clarified that although general hospitals may operate private wings, the government does not handle planning, staff recruitment, salaries, drug procurement, or other operations for the private section.
He urged residents to formally present their concerns to hospital management to explore ways to reduce drug costs.
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