Problems the Church in East Africa Has Faced in the Provision of Health Services

  • The church has faced a problem of in adequate funds to facilitate them of providing quality health services to the sick.
  • It has also faced a problem of shortage of man power of doctors and nurses who are too few to treat the many patients.
  • Insecurity in some areas with wars has also made it hard for the church to treat the sick in such areas.
  • Hostile tribes in some parts of East Africa are against the provision of health services due to their conservatism hence limiting church work e.g. the karamajongs.
  • The church has got limited land to build more health centers and expand the existing ones especially in urban areas like Kampala.
  • The emergence of new and rare diseases like Ebola, Marburg etc have caused a big challenge to the church medical department.
  • Some Africans are too confident of their traditional medicine/ herbs and this has interfered with the church provision of modern drugs.
  • Poor roads in some remote areas have made it hard for the church to carry out its health missionary journeys.
  • There is rampant corruption among some church leaders who at times misuse the health funds got from the donors.
  • Sometimes the government interferes negatively with the church work of providing medical services to the patients
  • Illiteracy among many people of East Africa is also a problem e.g. some people cannot follow the instructions of taking drugs because of illiteracy.
  • Low levels of technology have hindered the church effort of providing quality health services to its clients.
  • Inadequate medical facilities in form of medical machines like x-ray machines, ambulances etc is another obstacle to the church.

Questions:

  1. Show the contribution made by the church in providing medical services in Uganda today. (13 marks)
  2. What limitations has the church faced in this endeavor? (12 marks)