ARUA DISTRICT TRAVEL INFORMATION

Arua district is found on latitudes between 2 degrees 30’ north and 3 degrees 50’ north; and longitudes 30 degrees 30’ East and 31 degrees 30’ East in the north western part of Uganda. The district is bordered by The Sudan in the northwest, Yumbe district in the northeast, DR Congo in the West, Nebbi district in South and Gulu district in the East.

POPULATION

According to the provisional results of the 2002 National Population and Housing Census, the district has a total of 855,055 people with 445,852 females against 409,203 males.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Arua has four categories of roads namely, trunk roads – 558km, feeder roads – 1178km, community roads – 550km and urban roads of which+23 6.4km are tarmac and 34.2km is murram. In addition the district has an airfield that has been designated as an international point of entry and exit by Civil Aviation Authority of Uganda.

EDUCATION

According to the Socio-economic conditions Survey 2000 report, only 41% of the eligible school going population aged 6 – 24 years are in school. 3% are temporary out of school, 28% have left school another 28% have never attended school. The district has over 320 primary schools of which over 270 are UPE ones and the rest run by private entrepreneurs. There are 47 secondary schools, 25 government aided and 22 in private hands. As for higher institutions, the district has 1 primary teacher training college government aided, 1 National Teacher College also aided by the government.

HEALTH

Arua district Hospital is the regional referral hospital in Northern Uganda with bed occupancy of over 280. It offers both outpatient and admission services. Some of the facilities are eye equipment, x-ray, AIDS testing and dental facilities. The hospital is also a regional blood bank for West Nile and is home to a nurse training institution. The health system contains community-based health care represented by traditional birth attendants and other community resource persons. It is also headed by the Director District of Health services (DDHS) assisted by 7 deputies overseeing each of the seven health sub-districts.

Author: Sandra Nans