Sh3b needed to complete Gulu hospital staff housing project

The Parliament Committee on health has asked the Government to appropriate a sh3b budget line provision to Gulu referral hospital.

The financial demand is contained in a committee report on an oversight visit to assess the status of health services in Northern region by Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti (Kole North, NRM).

Submitting on Friday August 30, 2024; Acuti said that these funds are poised at improving staff accommodation.

“In Gulu Regional Referral Hospital for instance, a project of 54 units for staff accommodation that started ten years ago is still incomplete due to non-release of funds for the previous three financial years. The Committee was concerned that its previous calls for the project funding and completion has not yielded results,” he stated  

"Current sh3billion is estimated as required to complete the project whose total cost was sh6.8billion at the time the project started in 2014,” Acuti added.

Finance Ministry urged to act swiftly on fund release

In the same breadth, the committee asked the Finance ministry to trigger the release of sh1billion for renovation works at Apac General Hospital.

Deducing from the committee report, the aforementioned funds the health ministry docket are yet to hit the accounts which has paralyzed efforts poised at restoring the entity to its past glory.

“The Hospital further requires an additional sh3.68b to complete the renovation. The committee observed that several structures were old and dilapidated including the staff houses. It was also noted that the plumbing system was old and the facility faced challenges of water in several wards including the space designated for the Neonatal ICU,” the committee report notes

Similarly, MPs also want the finance ministry to prioritize the release of sh1b for renovation of Abim and sh1b for Kotido hospitals, emphasizing the urgent need for improved healthcare infrastructure across the region.

MPs respond

Koboko District Woman MP Taban Sharifa Aate (NRM) asked the Government to prioritize health care services in the West Nile sub-region as well.

“In Koboko where I come from, we do not have a district hospital and our current hospital is under construction and there are delayed payments to the contractors which has led to stalled works. So the process is very slow and the sh500m comes once in a while. Therefore, we need the Government to look into this,” Aate elaborated.

“Secondly, West Nile does not have a regional mortuary. Our regional mortuary has a capacity of five people,” she added.

On her part, Linda Agnes Auma (Lira District Woman MP, Indep) complained that her district has not received any funds for health infrastructure development.

“It is very unfortunate that in the last financial year, a fund worth sh4b was  deposited to the district account but later a letter was received ordering for the transfer of the money to another district. That’s when:  myself the LC V and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) battled to get money for one health facility that is under construction,” she bemoaned.  

At the moment, she said some of her constituents are relying on the Onywako health center which is overwhelmed and the situation is not any different across the district.

“In Erute North, Aromo health center IV, the maternity ward is in a very bad state that the ceiling board collapsed on a mother in delivery…This Sunday I will be going to a health center called Abala. Women are going with a small torch for delivery,” Auma added.

Fast forward, she asked the health ministry to liaise with the energy ministry to connect health facilities to the national grid.  

Speaker responds

Adopting the report, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa implored all and sundry to allow the relevant minister to make a comprehensive response in two weeks.

“What I am trying to avoid is a situation as if discussing issues of northern Uganda is ending today. No, we have just started. So on September 17th, we shall start with this one,” Tayebwa assured.