Dokolo, Uganda | Dokolo North Community Initiative has installed a solar power system at Abalang Health Centre III, restoring night-time medical services at the overstretched facility amid a growing patient load.
The non-partisan association has, on Tuesday 30th December 2025, donated a 150-watt solar system to supplement the existing Ministry of Health installation, which has been prone to frequent blackouts after midnight, disrupting maternity and emergency care.
Speaking at the handover, Joseph Jones Ogwal, the NRM parliamentary flag bearer for Dokolo North Constituency and a member of the association, said government efforts alone could not address all community challenges and emphasised the need for collective responsibility among organised groups.
Ogwal noted that Abalang Health Centre III receives more than 1,000 patients every month, exceeding its planned capacity of 900, and serves people from the Lango, Kumam, and Teso communities.
He said that once elected to Parliament, he would lobby for the upgrading of the facility to a Health Centre IV to match the growing demand for services.
The in-charge of Abalang Health Centre III, Joseph Joe Abila Ogwang, said frequent power outages had previously forced health workers to conduct night deliveries using torches and improvised lamps, placing both mothers and medical staff at risk.
Ogwang explained that the donated solar system would significantly improve lighting at the facility, ensure continuity of maternity services, and help maintain the cold-chain system for vaccines while also supplementing government support.
Hamza Okello, the secretary of Dokolo North Community Initiative, said the association identifies a major community challenge each year and mobilises resources from its members to address it.
He explained that after assessing health facilities across the constituency, Abalang Health Centre III was prioritised due to persistent lighting challenges.
Okello added that the association installed a complete solar system worth UGX 7 million and donated additional items, including clothes, sugar, and soap, bringing the total value of the support to about UGX 15 million.
He said all the funds were contributed by members without any foreign or external donations.
Uganda’s ambassador to South Africa, Paul Amoru Omiat, who is also a member of the association, said the solar system would greatly enhance service delivery at the health centre and pledged to donate a maternity delivery bed within five days.
Health facility records show that Abalang Health Centre III has attended to 11,650 patients in the current financial year.
In October and November, the facility registered 1,465 and 1,572 patients, respectively, exceeding the monthly target of 972.
The centre also conducted 38 deliveries in October and 42 in November, close to the monthly target of 48 deliveries.
Established in 2017, the Dokolo North Community Initiative comprises about 100 members and began community support work in 2019, focusing on health, education, and agriculture.
The association has previously supported flood victims in Dokolo North, and the group appealed to local leaders, health workers, and security officials to safeguard the solar equipment to ensure its sustainability and long-term use.
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