Health
Uganda gets UGX180bn hospital for women
Prime Minister Rugunda surrounded by journalists and Cabinet members after touring the hospital
The first ever public hospital dedicated to reproductive matters of women has been completed and handed over to government by the constructor at a cost of US$47million (Approximately UGX180 billion).
The government however says that the hospital will charge patients for services. Fares and guidelines on how to access the facility are set to be determined by cabinet this weekend ahead of official opening on Monday September 17, 2018.
Ministers led by the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda yesterday toured the newly built hospital amid euphoria and promises that the country will no longer need to refer ‘complicated’ cases abroad.
Arab contractors of Egypt handed over the hospital complex after a five-year construction assignment.
Dr. Rugunda highlighted the project completion as one of the government’s successes, even though the project was built from a loan from the Islamic Development Bank.
He also emphasised that the hospital will promote health tourism by accepting referrals from neighbouring countries due to its specialised nature.
The health minister Dr. Ruth Aceng said the hospital will offer services for complicated pregnancy cases, urinary complications, and early cancer detection. She added that it will also provide in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) among others.
The completion of the women’s hospital comes at a time when the country is experiencing outcry over poor health care especially in government facilities. Corruption and lack of a robust regulatory regime for the health sector has left many Ugandans without access to affordable quality health care.
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