Arua Regional Referral Hospital will have a new intensive care unit (ICU) building valued at sh7.9b within one year and three months if things go according to plan.

This was revealed during the breaking of ground on the World Bank-funded structure under the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project on Tuesday at the health facility in Arua City.

Arua Hospital grappled with COVID-19 patients in 2020 due to the limited supply of ICU equipment and inadequate space.

Hospital director Arua Ben Andema hailed the government, through the health ministry, for injecting funds to start the construction of the ICU building.

“Currently we have the Arua regional blood bank that is being constructed, and now the ICU, which I believe boosts our position as a regional referral hospital," he said.

Andema added that they are overwhelmed with an increasing population of Congolese and South Sudanese, as well as the refugees that are referred from the settlements.

The Ministry of health officials,Arua hospital and the contractors and other stakeholders touring the hospital

Andema said they hope the ban on recruitment will not affect the recruitment of staff when the facility's construction is completed.

Health Ministry Commissioner for Infrastructure George Otim said the ICU building will help the region's population treat ailments normally taken to Kampala.

“We want people from the West Nile [region] to get treatment here and not travel to Kampala; imagine someone getting TB dialysis from Mulago and the expenses in terms of transport and daily upkeep: It is expensive,” he said.

He asked the contractors to ensure that they complete the project within the stipulated 15 months.

Dr Godfrey Mugisha, who represented the health ministry's commissioner of clinical services, said the facility will help reduce neonatal deaths and child mortality.

David Businge, the project manager at HASO Engineers Company Ltd, said they will complete the construction on time.