Lira gets sh24.6b teaching hospital

The hospital currently under construction. Photos by Joseph Ekol

The education ministry with support from the African Development Bank is constructing a teaching hospital worth sh24.6b at Lira University main campus.

The project which is nearing completion was awarded to contractor in December 2015 when the University was still a constituent college of Gulu University.

The two-storeyed structure was expected to be completed by end of July this year, but the contract period has been extended to February 2018.

If completed, it will have two operational theaters, outpatient department and health science centre.

Lira University vice-chancellor, Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng (left) and Timothy Ssejjoba, the deputy project co-ordinator of African Development Bank (right) inspecting the site

The vice-chancellor of Lira University, Prof. Jasper Ogwal Okeng said the teaching hospital being constructed will boost the health science educations in the university.

He said currently, Lira University is training only nursing and public health students, but when the teaching hospital work is completed, they will bring in medicine and other medical programs.

Ogwal added that some hospital equipment is already in place while more has been ordered for and the ministry has already licensed the hospital.  

"The hospital has already been licensed by the ministry and this will allow us get needed drugs," Prof. Ogwal said during a meeting with officials from the education ministry and African Development Bank at the site on Tuesday.

Lira University, a public institution of learning located in Ayere Village, Lira sub-county in Lira district. It started in 2009 as constituent college of Gulu University until July 2016 when it attained its autonomy.