The Ministry of Health has announced that it is financially unable to move forward with the construction of a 33 billion Shillings maternal and child health complex at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.
The ministry indicated that the government may need to acquire a special loan to fund the construction, as it is currently facing financial constraints, suggesting that the process could be gradual.
Construction of the facility began in August 2023, with a contract awarded to the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the business arm of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF).
According to hospital management, the completed facility is intended to house essential services including a Neonatal Unit, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology wards, an operating theater, and a laboratory.
However, nearly two years after the project was launched, there has been no progress, and the site remains abandoned while the hospital continues to experience severe congestion.
Prior to the project’s initiation, the government had allocated 1.15 billion Shillings to commence construction.
As of now, there are no visible signs of construction materials, such as sand or bricks, at the site.
Initially, the funds were meant to kick off the foundation of a 120-bed capacity complex, but plans were subsequently revised to accommodate a 250-bed facility in response to the rising demand for health services in the region.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, expressed concerns that the construction of the facility could be delayed for an extended period due to the financial incapacitation of the health ministry to undertake immediate construction works.
By Ben Musanje
15th April 2025
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