Guidelines launched to tackle abandoned, outdated hospital equipment

Cases of dilapidated hospital beds, broken X-ray machines, and obsolete medical equipment gathering dust in hospital corridors are all too common in Uganda's Health Centre IIIs, IVs, and regional, and even national referral hospitals.

This situation has long persisted due to the absence of clear national guidelines on how to acquire, maintain, or dispose of old medical equipment. Moreover, the government has never allocated a specific budget for the disposal of outdated equipment.

In response, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has launched the National Medical Equipment Guidelines, a strategic document aimed at improving medical equipment management in Uganda.

These guidelines provide a revised and standardised list of medical equipment and furniture for various levels of healthcare, ranging from Health Centre IIIs to national referral hospitals, including selected specialised facilities.

Dr. Stephen Ttendo, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Medical Equipment (NACME), acknowledged the longstanding challenge: “There was no clear process for acquisition, maintenance, and disposal of equipment. Anyone could bring in any machine and market it to hospitals without considering long-term viability.”

To address the risk of poor-quality imports, NACME will now conduct pre-shipment inspections. This process is expected to reduce the incidence of importing unusable equipment that ends up dumped in hospital stores.

Dr. Ttendo emphasised the importance of having a coordinated and monitored process: “Disposal became a serious issue. These guidelines will now synchronise the entire lifecycle of medical equipment from acquisition to retirement.”

Dr. Stephen Ttendo, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Medical Equipment (NACME). (Courtesy Photo)

Budgeting for disposal and maintenance

According to the guidelines, implementation will be led by district local governments and health facility managers. Reviews will be initiated by the Health Infrastructure Development or advisory Committee and submitted to the Minister of Health.

Eng. George Otim, Commissioner for Health Infrastructure at the Ministry of Health, reiterated that the policy specifically targets Health Centre IIIs, IVs, regional, and national referral hospitals.

“The guidelines aim to standardise how medical equipment is used, maintained, and disposed of across all public health facilities,” he said.

Eng. Otim expressed concern over old equipment “hanging in hospital corridors” and X-ray machines being illegally sold instead of being disposed of properly. “Each facility must now prepare a comprehensive maintenance budget, including disposal costs,” he emphasised.

The Ministry currently receives only sh6 billion for equipment maintenance annually, against a need of sh 30 billion.

Eng. Otim advised that health facilities should allocate between 2% and 7% of the equipment investment cost to maintenance for the first three years, and 7% to 12% for subsequent years.

“We are including equipment maintenance and disposal in our 2025/26 work plan,” he added.

Previously, medical equipment was purchased in a top-down manner, with central procurement ignoring facility-specific needs. 

Biomedical maintenance teams will also be deployed at the point of acquisition to ensure every piece of equipment comes with a maintenance plan.

John Bosco Nsubuga, Director of Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, welcomed the guidelines and confirmed that his facility has already begun implementation.

“We have often bought equipment without proper specifications. Now, with a coding system and technical support, we are improving,” he said, adding that a biomedical engineer has been hired for ongoing maintenance.

However, disposal remains a challenge due to financial constraints. “We still have to go through the accounts office to secure funding,” he added.

Digital era 

Dr. Charles Olara, Director General of Health Services, stressed the importance of proper user training. “We are in the digital era. Improper use of equipment, such as cleaning with corrosive substances like JIK, can cause serious damage,” he warned.

He called on hospital administrators to ensure that donated or procured equipment is safe and functional, urging stronger collaboration with clinical departments.

Eng. Tadeo Byabagambi, Assistant Commissioner for Biomedical and Electrotechnical Engineering, said “Disposal is not budgeted for, so equipment remains scattered everywhere. In five years, most machines become non-functional.”

The Ministry of Health hopes that the rollout of these guidelines will mark the beginning of a sustainable system for managing medical equipment across Uganda’s public health sector.