MASAKA DIOCESAN HEALTH ASSEMBLY 2019/2020
Every year under the health department, Masaka Diocese holds an assembly for stakeholders both internal and external, to enable Diocesan Health Institutions report to the internal and external stakeholders and seek their advice on the Health service delivery. It is also to bring together different Diocesan Health Institutions to share knowledge and experiences among themselves. More to that is to provide a forum to discuss challenges in the internal and external environment and identify strategies to ensure sustainability and relevance of Diocesan Health Institutions without compromising the mission. And to discuss issues that require policy change and improvement especially those that affect the Private Not for Profit Health Sector
The Diocesan Health Assembly is chaired by the Bishop of Masaka who in this year 2019 is His Lordship Bishop of Masaka Diocese, Serverus Jjumba. It was formerly chaired by His Lordship Dr. John Baptist Kaggwa who is now emeritus of Masaka who attended for moral support and technical advice. On this assembly Bishop Kaggwa was appreciated for his dedicated services and support by all the Health institutions of the diocese. In attendance was the Diocesan Health Board as well as Board members and health workers of health Institutions under Masaka Diocese. Although the Assembly was internal to the Diocese, UCMB, JMS, Life Net International and Micro Finance Partners.
While opening the the Assembly was Bishop Jjumba quoted the words of St. Francis of Assisi – Let us have charity and humility. He said that this cleanses the Soul from the stains of sin. Women and men leave everything that they leave behind in the world. When they cross over from this world, they carry with them the right to be repaid for their charity and self-giving – a generous payment from the Lord. The Bishop therefore called health workers to love their work not only for temporal purposes but also for eternity.
The Bishop was worried of the public negative attitude towards some health institutions and he cautioned all the health institutions to work very hard towards improvement of that image. He also tasked those institutions that had positive public image should not be content and relax but should be in a state continuous improvement. Opening remarks ended with recognition of the experience and moral support of Bishop Kaggwa and requested him to continue being present and support.
There was a presentation on Customer care by Mr. Emmanuel Higenyi from JMS the director technical operations. He encouraged all health workers to take customer care as a serious issue because Patients are getting more and more empowered to make choices about where they get health care. More to that there is more appreciation of the healthcare as a service among the medical fraternity hence health care providers now have to compete for the patient sometimes within the same institution. So if the health institutions must increase access then customer care is a critical concern.
Appreciation was given to Bishop Kaggwa and some good performing health workers from the Diocesan Health Office and from the health institution. JMS in a special way appreciated Bishop Kaggwa for his special contribution in the health sector and JMS in particular. JMS also appreciated Mbirizi Health Center III for their commitment to JMS and having a very good performance especially with deliveries.
The assembly ended on a positive note from the DHC, Fr. Emmanuel Katabaazi thanking all the health units for the general improvement in performance. He noted Health Units should keeping working.