The 450-bed and fully furnished hospital was secured at the cost of Shs 91.5 billion availed by Uganda government and the Islamic Development Bank. Construction was contracted to Arab Contractors.
The hospital, also referred to as centre and as unit, is a comprehensive and specialized component of Mulago national referral hospital. The hospital project document and regular status reports also say it will be “popularly known as the Women’s hospital”.
Kusasira clarified to The Observer on Monday that as to whether the new hospital will be autonomous or under Mulago national referral complex management was to be determined late yesterday or later.
“I will answer that question tomorrow, because my minister and cabinet are today expected to decide its status,” Kusasira said.
As a project, its broad objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in Uganda; this to be achieved through improvement of maternal and child healthcare services delivery at the national referral hospital level.
The project includes supply of medical and non-medical equipment and furniture, training of personnel in specialized fields, establishment of hospital management protocols and hiring of consultancies to support key project implementation activities.
The hospital will offer in vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive health technologies to help couples with difficulties to produce children. Other key services include high-risk antenatal care, delivery and postnatal services, gynecology, laproscopic surgery, and uro-gynaecology especially obstetric fistula.
It also has a pharmacy, emergency department, blood bank, labour suites, a morgue, intensive care unit (40 beds), laboratories, operation theatres (11), and departments of radiology and physiotherapy.
jmusinguzi@observer.ug
