UPDF breaks ground for national referral hospital

PIC: Officials break the ground for the construction of a national referral hospital in Mbuya

INFRASTRUCTURE

KAMPALA - The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) launched the construction of its national referral hospital.

The defence and veteran affairs minister, Adolf Tumwesige and the health minister, Jane Aceng, broke the ground for the construction of over sh130b hospital at the lower Mbuya barracks in Kampala Saturday. 

The old health facility within the barracks has been pulled down to pave way for the construction of what the army is describing "a-state-of-the-art" national referral hospital. The facility, according to the military, will also be open to civilians.

(L-R) Col. Okello P. Charles Engola Mac-Odwogo the State Minster for Denfence and Veteran Affairs, Adolf Mwesige the Minister of Defence,  Dr. Jane a Ruth Aceng the  Minister of Health, Gen David Muhoozi  the Army Commander and Dr. Ben Mbonye during the ground breaking ceremony for UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya Kampala on Saturday February 3, 2018. (Godfrey Kimono)

The acting permanent secretary (PS) in the defence ministry, Edith Buturo, said at the groundbreaking ceremony, that there will be no more referrals abroad once the hospital comes on stream in the next 36 months. 

However, the PS said the 250-bed hospital could also be delivered within 18 months, and urged the contractor, China National Aero-technology International Engineering Corporation (CATIC) to speed the project's execution.

The artist's ampression of the UPDF National Referral Hospital to be built in Mbuya during the ground breaking ceremony on Saturday February 3, 2018. (Godfrey Kimono)

"There will be no need of flying sick and tired soldiers abroad for treatment. We shall have all specialized services done here. Now that we have the money, we should get the work started, at least the first phase should be embarked on and completed," Buturo stated.

The UPDF runs health facilities at battalion, brigade, divisional and zonal levels. It also runs the general military hospital, which is at a level of a district hospital, at Bombo, in Luwero district.

A tractor during the ground breaking ceremony for UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya Kampala on Saturday 3rd Feb 2018. (Godfrey Kimono)

Currently, the UPDF refers cases that cannot be handled at its facilities to private and public hospitals such as Nakasero and Mulago national referral hospital.

Internationally, the force refers cases to Artemis hospital in India, according to the chief of defense forces, Gen. David Muhoozi.

The chairman of the hospital project steering committee, Dr Ben Mbonye, the army's force chief of medical services, said the mulita-disciplinary health facility will offer a broad range of medical services.

The six-block facility will among others be comprised, according to Mbonye, of two VIP suites, theatres, imaging and lab sections, outpatient and inpatient facilities.

(L-R) Dr Ben Mbonye; Col. Okello P. Charles Engola Mac-Odwogo, the State Minster for Defence and Veteran Affairs; Dr Jane a Ruth Aceng the  Minister of Health; Adolf Mwesige the Minister of Defence; Gen. David Muhoozi (right) the Chief of Defence Forces and Edith Buturo the acting permanent secretary Ministry of Defence during the groundbreaking ceremony for UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya, Kampala on Saturday February 3, 2018. (Godfrey Kimono)