US donates level II hospital, equipment to UPDF

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JINJA - The US government has donated a fully-fledged level II hospital at the Headquarters of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (HQ URDCC) in Gadaffi Barracks in Jinja city.

While receiving the facility on behalf of the UPDF on Tuesday (October 29, 2024), Brig. Gen. Peter Omolla Gaetano, the Commander URDCC, expressed his appreciation to the US government for the donation, which he attributed to the good diplomatic relationship between Uganda and the US.

He added that this is a second level II hospital that US has donated to the Ugandan army under the African Peace Keeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP) programme, which started in 2016.

UPDF Director of Medical Services Brig Gen Dr. Moses Kiyengo and Brig Gen Omolla second right speaking with officers at one of the wards. (Courtesy photo)

Omolla added that the first level II hospital and other equipment were received earlier and were deployed in Bombo under the COVID-19 intervention and it is currently deployed in Mogadishu supporting our troops in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

He underscored the idea for UPDF to have two level II hospitals as one for training and the other to remain on standby for deployment during emergency situations.

He said: "The hospital has been successfully installed by our soldiers with guidance from American experts the manufacturers of the hospital". He noted that the hospital came with benefits like two weeks training of 25 officers in different specialties in regard of the hospital.

Brig. Gen. Dr. Moses Kiyengo, who represented the UPDF Joint Staff Medical, said "Our medical personnel have verified the functionality of the equipment that came with the hospital, and all is good and ready for work."

He added that during the setup of the hospital, a team of medical personnel carried out actual treatment and diagnosis of patients in dental, radiology, surgery, X-ray services and eye services.

Dr Joe Bibling, the head of the US experts and manufacturers, said the project, which started in 2016 in Africa aims at building capabilities which allow UPDF to respond to any crisis like natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and peacekeeping situations.

Bibling, who is also an associate Prof on Military and Emergency Medicine at the US military Medical School and Uniformed Services University, affirmed that a level II United Nations (UN) field hospital like this one provides surgical facilities, an intensive care unit and general outpatient care, among other services.

The newly launched Level II Hospital at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC) in Gadaffi Barracks Jinja city. (Courtesy photo)

He added that at interception they started with medical training in the field of sanitation and hygiene, tactical care and combat, clinical medicine and visual set for the military among others.

He said Uganda was chosen for the donation because it is a pillar of peacekeeping on the African continent.

Also, other equipment donated alongside the level II hospital were the water treatment plant and an incinerator.