By May 11, 2021 when the Ministry of Health through the Minister of State in Charge General Duties, Robinah Nabbanja, presented the government’s state of commitment towards the health sector in the 2016-2021 manifesto, government hospitals were 3, 133 (45.16%), 2. 976 private hospitals (40.31%) and 1, 008 private and not for profit health facilities (14.53%).
Out of these, others are dedicated to fighting reproductive health issues. Some of these had their capacities improved to handle such cases.
Specialized Women & Neonatal Hospital, Mulago
In October 2018, the government finished the Specialised Women & Neonatal hospital at Mulago was completed at a cost of USD 25 million. The facility was also equipped with 450 beds and was commissioned by President Yoweri Museveni on October 4, 2018.
“Do not come here with diarrhea or cough or fever. Those will be managed by the lower health facilities,” Museveni said during the commissioning.
Situated on Mulago Hill, the facility also serves as a center of training, research and medical development. The 9 storey facility offers world-class maternal and neonatal care to all mothers and babies in Uganda and contributes to a reduction in the high rates of Maternal and newborn Mortality in the country.
Kawempe Hospital
Construction of the Kawempe and Kiruddu Hospital was completed in 2016/17 Financial Year and has been designated as National Referral Hospitals to decongest Mulago National Referral Hospital.
But specifically for Kawempe Hospital, it offers services such as paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, adolescent Health care, dental Care, diagnostics, emergency care and training & research.
International Specialized Hospital, Lubowa
The construction of the International Specialized Hospital at Lubowa officially started on June 10, 2019. Whereas the facility is yet to be completed, it will specialize in referral, tertiary treatment, research, and teaching hospital, which is intended to treat patients travelling out of the country to seek specialized medical care.
Kawolo Hospital
Rehabilitation and equipping of Kawolo Hospital started on May 1, 2017 and was completed in 2019. The hospital is now ready for commissioning.
Renovation, Expansion of Kayunga and Yumbe Hospitals
Kayunga and Yumbe have been completed, commissioned and upgraded to a RRH. This comes with increased the bed capacity to 200 from 100, 26- bed private wing and isolation ward, fully equipped accident and emergency unit, 3 advanced operation theatre rooms with a neonatal ICU and interns hostel with 20 apartments, among others.
Government also completed rehabilitation and equipping of 9 hospitals (Mityana, Nakaseke, Kiryandongo, Entebbe Grade B, Nebbi, Anaka, Iganga, Moyo and Moroto RRH) under Uganda Health Systems Strengthening Project (UHSSP) was completed by June 2017 while renovation and expansion of Lira, Arua and Gulu Regional Referral Hospitals is ongoing with support from JICA.
Functioning Health Centre IVs Per Constituency
Renovation and expansion of the following 26 HC IVs was completed in 2017. The works included Construction of 10 Theatres, 16 Maternity Wards and Water Supply including 40,000 Litre Reservoir for each unit. (Aboke, Aduku, Atiak, Budaka, Budondo, Bugono, Buvuma, Buyinja, Bwijanga, Kabuyanda, Kasanda, Kibuku, Kiganda, Kikamulo, Kitwe, Kiyunga, Kyantungo, Mwera, Mwizi, Nankoma, Ngoma, Ntenjeru-Kojja, Obongi, Padibe, Pakwach & Rubare.
The following 10 HC IVs were upgraded from HC IIIs in FY 2019/20; Karita in Amudat, Nabiganda in Butaleja, Nyamirami in Kasese, Toroma in Katakwi, Rwebisengo in Ntoroko, Rukingiri in Rukingiri, Kajjansi in Wakiso, Warr in Zombo, and Kawala in KCCA. Maracha Health Centre IV is under construction.
Of the 353 constituencies, 170 do not have HC IVs.
Construction of new HC IVs or upgrading of HC IIIs to IVs will be undertaken when resources are availed.
Upgrading of Health Centre IIs to IIIs in sub counties without HC IIIs
By February 2018, a total of 331 sub counties / Town Councils did not have HC IIIs as per the MoH policy and Presidential Directives.
Under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Program, 186 HC IIs were upgraded to HC IIIs in FY2018/19 and 2019/20; 64 HC IIs are under upgrade in FY 2020/21 and the remaining 35 will be upgraded and equipped in FY 2021/22
Under URMCHIP, 41 HC IIs are being upgraded to HC IIIs and 40 HC IIIs renovated / expanded.
Upgrade of HC IIs to IIIs in Karamoja sub-region will be undertaken under the Karamoja Health Infrastructure Development Project. Work is expected to commence this year.
Construction of new HC IIIs in Sub-counties without any health facility
Nabbanja says the next phase will be construction of HC IIIs in the 132 sub counties/Town Councils without any health facility by FY 2017/18. The Ministry of Health is taking inventory of the newly created sub-counties and town councils and resources will be mobilized for construction of HC IIIs based on population coverage and access to already existing health facilities.
Beds, Mattresses, Side lockers
The Minister says 7,000 beds and mattresses were received as a donation from the Government of China and distributed to hospitals and health centres nationwide.
An additional 1,027 patient beds & mattresses as well as assorted equipment were procured and distributed to hospitals and HC IVs under the URMCHIP
Delivery beds (normal and for disabled mothers) were distributed to 65 hospitals and 167 HC IVs under URMCHIP.
1,000 beds, mattresses and beddings procured for management of COVID-19.
Procurement ongoing for an additional 5,600 beds, 5,600 mattresses, and beddings.
Staff Housing
According to Nabbanja, more than 500 staff housing units have been put up at different hospitals and health centres e.g. 26 twin staff houses constructed with GAVI support in 15 districts & commissioned in 2018; 68 staff housing units still under construction in Karamoja, among others.
Emergency Medical Services
Nabbanja says Emergency Medical Services Policy has been developed and due for submission to Cabinet for approval. Two Call and Dispatch centers have been set up for the Kampala Metropolitan area at Naguru RRH and for Masaka region at Masaka RRH.
The ambulances are in use and being managed under the National ambulance system that is regionally coordinated under 14 Regions. Each regional ambulance coordination centre will be responsible for 20 to 30 type B emergency care ambulances aiming at one type B ambulance per 100,000 population and one type C ambulance per 2,000,000 population.
Ambulances
As part of the COVID-19 response, the Ministry of Health acquired 104 additional Ambulances.
38 were procured by GoU under Covid-19 response and are fully equipped.
33 are Type B (basic support), 3 Type C (ICU) Water ambulances and 2 Type C (ICU) road ambulances. 10 type B ambulances procured with GOU funding through Uganda Red Cross Society, 17 type B ambulances URMCHIP project funding, 11 type B Water ambulances GAVI funding and 14 type B ambulances were donated by partners and organisations.
Generally, Nabbanja says, there is improvement in health service delivery and health outcomes among the population in Uganda and this, she attributes to the strong political will and active involvement of President Yoweri Museveni in promoting health behaviours and programs, the investments in health infrastructure improvement from primary to tertiary level, Public Private Partnerships for health – NGOs and PHP facilities are contributing to health care delivery, Dedicated health workforce in Uganda and improved staffing levels although have not reached the target of 80%, improved availability of medicines improved from about 75% in 2015/16 to 83% in 2018/19, Investment in the immunization program which has contributed to reduction of childhood deaths due to immunizable diseases and Improved health awareness and health seeking behavior of our people among others.