Govt plans sh100b to operationalise Lubowa Specialised Hospital

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The Ministry of Health is planning to spend sh100 billion to run the Lubowa International Specialised Hospital even before construction of the long-delayed facility is complete.

While appearing before Parliament's health committee during the consideration of the 2026/27 Ministerial Policy Statement, Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng told Parliament that the hospital is now 70% complete, with roofing and plastering already done, and is expected to be finished by December 2026.

She said the funds being requested are intended to prepare the facility for operations immediately after completion.

“We are now doing the final touches. That is why we need funding for operations, and it is good to plan early, because by the end of this calendar year, December, it will be complete, and we need to start operationalisation,” Aceng said.

She noted that the Ministry of Health has already begun recruiting staff for the hospital, signalling plans for a phased opening once construction is finalised.

The Lubowa project, officially known as the International Specialised Hospital of Uganda, was conceived as a high-end medical facility aimed at reducing the number of Ugandans seeking treatment abroad.

It is expected to offer specialised services including cancer care, organ transplants and advanced diagnostics.

However, the request for operational funds has raised fresh concerns in Parliament, particularly over the hospital’s status and visibility within the country’s public health system.

Bukomansimbi North MP Christine Nandagire questioned why Lubowa Hospital does not appear on the official list of government health facilities submitted to the committee, despite receiving significant budget allocations over the years.

“The hospitals and all the institutions under the Uganda government were lined up here, but I am not seeing Lubowa Hospital,” she said. “Is it fully constructed? Is it a government hospital or private? Which level is it?”

Her concerns highlight broader questions that have continued to surround the project, including its ownership structure, classification and overall accountability.

Following a recent tour of the facility, the Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwiine, said substantial progress had been made and that discussions were underway on key requirements ahead of its opening.

“We held discussions with the project team on key requirements ahead of the phased opening. Great progress is being made,” Atwiine said during the site visit, although she did not indicate when the phased opening would begin.

Despite the reported progress, the Lubowa hospital has been dogged by controversy over its cost and slow pace of implementation.

Officials from the Ministry of Finance earlier told Parliament that by December 2025, at least US$209.1 million (about Shs 723.75 billion) had already been spent on the project through promissory notes issued to the contractor.

An additional US$170.6 million (about Shs590.2 billion) remains outstanding, with a further Shs142.3 billion projected for future commitments in the 2026/2027 financial year.

The latest request for Shs100 billion to operationalise the hospital adds to the growing financial commitment, even as construction remains incomplete. Government officials, however, insist that early planning for operations is necessary to avoid delays once the facility is ready. They argue that staffing, equipment installation and system setup must begin ahead of completion to ensure a smooth transition into service.

When completed and fully equipped, the Lubowa International Specialised Hospital is expected to play a critical role in strengthening Uganda’s healthcare system by reducing costly medical referrals abroad and expanding access to specialised treatment within the country.