Museveni, GE officials meet over hospitals

Feb 10, 2019

The President said he expects a comprehensive packaged solution which will include civil works, providing equipment, training experts including biomedical engineers

President Yoweri Museveni has met senior officials of General Electric (GE), promising that the government will continue partnering with them in the health sector. 

Museveni made the commitment on Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as he met Farid Fezoua, the president and CEO, GE Africa & GE Healthcare Africa as well as Alexander Oketch, the projects development director, East Africa. 

The President, who arrived in Addis Ababa on Saturday afternoon, is in Ethiopia for a three-day working visit where he will attend the 32nd Ordinary Assembly of African Union Heads of State. 

In the meeting with the GE officials, Museveni said he expects a comprehensive packaged solution which will include civil works, providing equipment, training experts including biomedical engineers, servicing the machines and a funding solution.

"Our traditional political zones are 18 and each of this should have a regional hospital. Coupled with the five zones created out of Kampala, it means we should have 23 regional hospitals," said Museveni. 

The President said the current focus will be on rehabilitation and modernisation of the regional referrals and general hospitals. He directed that a good chunk of health centres IV and III also be equipped.

Fezoua thanked Museveni and his government for partnering with GE in various sectors of the economy including power and the oil refinery project. 

The President directed the health ministry, whose permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine attended the meeting, to fast track and work out the finer details with GE and formalise the agreement in the next three months.

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