In a bid to improve the quality of health services at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), the two institutions have received sh3.5b from the Massachusetts General Hospital Global Health from Boston America.

The funds came through Global Health Collaborative, an organisation that operates at MUST.

While launching the programme dubbed first mile 2:0 on Tuesday at Silver Back Hotel in Mbarara City, Dr Steven Asiimwe, the head of Global Health Collaborative, noted that the funds were meant to power the academic medical centre to deliver good health care to the community in the region.

Asiimwe said this is going to be a five-year program that will target majorly clinical collaborations within the hospital and university to revitalise services of cancer in adults and paediatrics, the pathology unit and supporting medical staff.

“This will enable the hospital to improve on the medicines and the diagnostics testing of body tissues and blood so that the public can get proper diagnosis in a very short time,” said Asiimwe.

Adding that, in the first mile 1:0 program, they secured funds and set up a modern Covid-19 treatment unit, well equipped at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.

“Within the University, the program will support the nursing department through training of nurses at Master's and bachelor's levels. We shall also support them to go in the communities and do home visits and carry out health education, and maternal-child health services,” he said.

He added, “The program will support health training in over 50 health facilities in western Uganda." 

Dr. Celestine Barigye, the Hospital Director of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, said the first mile 1:0 gave them a Covid-19 treatment Unit which has now been turned into an infectious diseases unit.

Barigye said they need much attention in four areas that including the biomedical engineering department to help in repairing the medical equipment, the Pathology Unit and Adult and paediatric oncology.

“We hope that this funding will help in improving treatment and also research for treating purposes,” he said.

Prof. Charles Kazooba, the Deputy Vice-chancellor of Mbarara University assured the funders that the money will serve the intended purpose. 

He, however, asked all the departments that are under the first-mile project to work together and improve the health services and trainings at both institutions.

Dr. Rose Muhindo, the head of Covid-19 at the referral hospital commended the efforts by Global Health collaborative towards improving the medical services at Mbarara hospital.