Health
Health Minister Dr Aceng Launches Shs 12.6 Billion Healthcare Projects in Lira City
A wave of hope swept through Lira City on Friday as the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, officiated the groundbreaking ceremony for a long-awaited regional blood bank and the expansion of Obero Health Center IV.
The two events, one held adjacent to Lira University, mark a significant step towards improving healthcare access and saving lives in the Lango sub-region.
The cornerstone of the day’s events was the commencement of construction for the Shs 9.6 billion regional blood bank. Minister Aceng emphasized the critical need for this facility, stating,
“This is an exciting day that the people of Lango have waited for, for a long time. The need for blood in this region is huge because it is one of the areas that has a very high prevalence of sickle cell anaemia, high maternal mortality, and a significant burden of malaria.”
The minister acknowledged the limitations of the smaller blood bank commissioned in 2020, highlighting the urgent requirement for a facility capable of processing and providing safe blood. “Many lives have been lost because of lack of blood,” she noted. “Today, we are happy that our need for a blood bank where blood can be processed and people can have safe blood is now a reality.”
The blood bank project is allocated Shs 9.6 billion, with Shs5.6 billion designated for construction and Shs 4 billion for essential equipment. The ambitious project aims for roofing completion by the end of the current calendar year.
In addition to the blood bank, Minister Aceng also officiated the groundbreaking for the expansion of Obero Health Center IV, addressing the facility’s current overcrowding.
“There’s already a maternity and a theatre that we are constructing, but because of birth, has a very small patient that cannot accommodate the huge population,” she explained. “We are putting a new outpatient department that will be combined with an HIV clinic and the administration block.”
The expansion of Obero Health Center IV is budgeted at UGX 3 billion, with construction slated to be carried out in phases. Both projects will be undertaken by the UPDF Engineering Brigade, a decision that Minister Aceng expressed confidence in. “I am very confident that they will do a good job. They will give us quality work, but also that they will finish on time,” she stated.
The new state-of-the-art blood bank is expected to significantly enhance blood collection and safe storage, saving countless lives across the Lango sub-region. The expansion of Obero Health Center IV will improve access to essential healthcare services, particularly for maternal and HIV-related care.
Meanwhile, the government’s commitment to addressing the healthcare needs of the Lango sub-region signals a positive step towards improved health outcomes for its residents.
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