MUKONO: Mukono District Local Government has held a high-level Emergency Medical Services (EMS) review meeting at the Chief Administrative Officer’s boardroom to address critical operational bottlenecks and strengthen emergency health response across the district.
Addressing district leaders, health facility in-charges, District Health Team (DHT) members, and Ministry of Health representatives, Mukono LCV Chairperson Hon. Francis Lukooya Mukoome called for the mandatory, adequate fueling of all public ambulances to ensure rapid response times during crises.
Hon. Lukooya stressed that health service delivery remains a primary metric by which citizens evaluate government effectiveness, particularly during life-threatening emergencies. He demanded strict resource management and proper allocation of funds to keep fleet vehicles permanently ready for deployment, pledging direct executive oversight to enforce accountability across all health sub-districts.
The emergency review session focused on auditing past EMS performance, tackling systemic operational challenges, and designing strategies to reduce preventable deaths across Mukono.
Key operational deficits raised during the session included a lack of designated staff accommodation for ambulance drivers at their respective deployment stations.
Dr. Isaac Ddumba, the Assistant District Health Officer, highlighted that drivers often struggle to respond promptly at night due to housing constraints. Dr. Ddumba also petitioned the district leadership to prioritize the absorption of qualified, trained emergency nurses who remain unengaged outside the public service payroll.
To strengthen the legal and regulatory framework governing emergency health services, Mukono District Speaker Hon. Asuman Muwumuza Lubowa pledged legislative backing for a proposed EMS district ordinance. Hon. Lubowa commended the dedication of medical personnel and ambulance drivers operating under tough conditions, advising that the draft ordinance first undergo rigorous scrutiny by the Council’s Health Committee before its presentation to the full District Council.
Hon. Anna Lubuulwa, the Secretary for Health, Education, Community-Based Services, and Trade (and District Councillor for Nagojje Sub County), praised development partners, including the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO), for supporting local emergency infrastructure. She noted that partner support has significantly reduced mortality rates among road traffic accident victims along the heavily congested Jinja-Kampala Highway.
Hon. Lubuulwa also highlighted the successful implementation of an electronic fleet-monitoring system, which tracks real-time ambulance movements and deters fuel misuse.
The meeting concluded with a unified commitment from district officials to improve emergency response coordination, streamline resource allocation, and enhance support for frontline health personnel to ensure efficient, life-saving service delivery for the people of Mukono.
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