Clare
The State Minister for Health in charge of Primary Care, Hon.Margaret Muhanga Mugisa, has directed the newly appointed board of Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital (FPRRH) to re-evaluate its composition and ensure a more gender-sensitive approach in selecting its Board of Directors.
This request follows the recent appointment of a new board with only two women among the thirteen members. Hon. Muhanga, who was present at the inauguration of the board at Mountains of the Moon Hotel, stated that the current gender balance fails to meet the required standards of gender parity in public office.
The Minister emphasized that the Ministry of Health will not approve the new board unless it addresses these concerns, highlighting that the appointment of just two women out of thirteen members is unconstitutional under Uganda’s laws. According to Article 21 of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution, all individuals are equal before the law, and the state is obligated to ensure gender balance and the representation of marginalized groups. Based on this provision, the Ugandan Parliament has mandated that at least 30% of board members should be women, a criterion the new FPRRH board has not met.
The newly appointed members of the Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital board include Mr. Thomas Kalyegira Rubare, reappointed for a second term as chairperson, Dr. Alex Adaku as Secretary, and various other members, including Richard Mugisha, Eng. Jackson Masereka, Miriam Kesiime, Erick Ryahinda, Margaret Kabakondere, Dr. Simon Sseguya, Dr. Richard Mugabi, Dr. Kizito Samuel, and Mr. Michael Oduru.
Despite the gender imbalance, Minister Muhanga praised the hospital’s efforts and urged the board to further strengthen the hospital through enhanced community involvement and improved service delivery. She acknowledged significant challenges at the hospital, including drug extortion, absenteeism among workers, and mistreatment of patients, especially women in labor. She called on healthcare workers to exhibit integrity, professionalism, and dedication to their roles.
Dr. Alex Adaku, the hospital’s director, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health for its ongoing support in empowering the facility. He noted that the hospital serves a population of approximately 3.5 million people from the Rwenzori Region, and called for increased funding and better supply of medical equipment to meet the growing needs of the community.
