Pregnant Mothers in Kapelebyong District are increasingly being forced to deliver their babies at home or on the way to health facilities, as devastating floods continue to destroy the already fragile road network, cutting off communities from essential healthcare.
The district, one of the newest in the Teso Subregion, is grappling with the consequences of torrential rains that have submerged major routes, rendered bridges impassable, and washed away vital road connections.
Local leaders and health workers warn that the crisis is not only endangering pregnant women and newborns but also threatening food security and even the forthcoming election monitoring process.
David Ebilat, the Local Council One Chairperson of Acanipi Village in Alito Sub county, said that the worsening road situation has left families with no choice but to improvise when emergencies strike.
“Some mothers are giving birth at home because they cannot reach the health centres on time. Others deliver on the way, stuck in potholes and flooded roads. This is dangerous because they lack skilled medical attention, and we have already lost lives due to these delays,” Ebilat lamented.
Amos Omoding, the officer in charge of Alito Health Centre III, confirmed that many women are either delivering from home or on the way to hospitals.
He said the facility has been overstretched, with limited means of transportation worsening the crisis.
“It is true, some patients, especially expectant mothers, deliver from home while others arrive at the facility in critical condition. The journey to health centres has become longer because the roads are impassable. The Soroti–Kotido route from Kapelebyong to Abim is in the worst condition. Even ambulances struggle to pass,” Omoding explained.
He recalled a tragic incident on the Alito–Otuke District bridge, where 23 people lost their lives in an accident linked to flooded roads.
“Safe birth means healthy mothers and babies, but without roads, we cannot ensure preconception care, safe deliveries, or quality newborn services,” Omoding stressed.
Ebilat further warned that beyond healthcare, the worsening transport situation could hinder election monitoring.
He noted that once the electioneering season begins, security forces might be unable to respond quickly to incidents of violence or malpractice.
“When violence breaks out, security is expected to respond as a collective force. But how will they move if the roads are broken and flooded? This is why we continue to demand urgent government intervention. People are dying, others are injured, and yet these roads remain unattended,” Ebilat said.
Kapelebyong District Chairperson, Francis Akorikin, acknowledged the severity of the situation, admitting that heavy rains had overwhelmed the district’s capacity to maintain its road network.
He noted that some road construction projects had to be suspended as water levels rose, but assured residents that works would resume once conditions improve.
“Indeed, heavy rains have greatly affected the district. Some of our roads are under water. While we are trying to address the problem, we need the central government to step in, especially on trunk roads which are beyond the district’s mandate,” Akorikin said.
He appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister for immediate support, not only for road rehabilitation but also for relief supplies.
“Many gardens have been submerged, meaning food insecurity is imminent. We need tarpaulins for displaced families and food aid for households that have lost their crops,” he added.
The flooding in Kapelebyong reflects a wider pattern across Teso Subregion, where poor infrastructure has left rural communities highly vulnerable to climate shocks.
Roads that were already riddled with potholes and weak bridges have collapsed under the weight of floods, cutting off villages from markets, schools, and health centres.
Civil society activists have long warned that underinvestment in rural infrastructure would leave districts like Kapelebyong exposed to precisely these kinds of disasters.
With maternal mortality already high in Uganda, health experts fear that the situation could worsen if emergency measures are not taken.
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