By Mike Rwothomio

Pakwach Health Centre IV, a key secondary-level healthcare facility in Pakwach District, Northern Uganda, has officially relocated its operations from its previous site in Lubiri B Cell to a new, safer location in Kapita Cell along Wadlai Road, near the Pakwach District Headquarters.

The relocation, effective Monday, April 27, 2026, ensures uninterrupted delivery of comprehensive clinical services, including outpatient department (OPD) consultations, inpatient care, maternal and child health (MCH) services, and emergency interventions.

According to a circular issued by the Health Unit Management Committee, all essential healthcare services have been fully transferred to the new premises to maintain continuity of care for the district’s catchment population and referral cases from neighbouring districts.

Santo Ogena, Chairperson of the Health Unit Management Committee, confirmed that the move was necessitated by serious occupational safety and environmental hazards at the old site.

“The health center was condemned by NEMA, and the physical structure itself was also wanting, putting security and safety of patients and visitors at risk,” Ogena stated. He added that the district had issued clear public notifications regarding the relocation.

The facility had long faced multiple challenges due to its proximity to the River Nile. Approximately 30 percent of the old site lay within a protected environmental buffer zone, while rising water levels, seasonal flooding, and erosion had caused structural damage, gullies, and cracks in buildings.

Insecurity from wild animals, including hippopotamus damaging fences, further compromised patient and staff safety.

The Ministry of Health and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) had previously directed the relocation following a formal assessment that highlighted these dilapidated conditions and non-compliance with environmental standards.

The Pakwach District Council formally approved the relocation on March 31, 2026, after the Leader of Government Business, Pastore Gidaga, presented the urgent need for action.

Councilors described the move as “long overdue” to protect public health.

John Bosco Oryema, the Facility In-Charge, acknowledged the timeliness of the relocation but highlighted ongoing operational constraints at the new site.

“Starting today, our services have been transferred. However, we still have challenges of space, but we are trying our best to … give them the minimum package ” Oryema explained.

The new site, spanning approximately 17 acres, is expected to significantly improve patient safety, service accessibility, and compliance with national health and environmental regulations.

Local leaders have urged the government to provide additional resources to address space limitations and meet the needs of the district’s growing population.

Pakwach District has a population of 206,961 people according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics National Population and Housing Census 2024, up from approximately 158,037 in 2014, placing increasing demand on health services.

Pakwach Health Centre IV remains the only HC IV in the district and serves as the main referral facility for lower-level Health Centres II and III, as well as patients from neighbouring districts including Nwoya, Nebbi, Buliisa, and Madi-Okollo.Background.

Established in the 1950s as a dispensary, the facility attained full Health Centre IV status in 1999. It has operated with chronic challenges, including infrastructural decay, overcrowding , and repeated calls over the past decade for upgrades, including plans to elevate it to full district general hospital status.

During last year’s campaign trail, President Yoweri Museveni assured local leaders of government plans to upgrade the facility.

The relocation marks a critical step toward safeguarding public health while addressing long-standing environmental and safety concerns in this Nile-bank health facility.

Pakwach Health center IV.

• Additional reporting by Felix Ogenrwoth.

Mike Rwothomio is the News Editor at Zoomer Africa, your trusted grassroots information hub for African stories, voices, and updates.