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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Construction of the Uganda Heart Institute-UHI’s own home will start in the next financial year.
Construction and furnishing of the facility has been budgeted to cost 259 billion shillings which will be realised by the government and foreign funding.
The institute has occupied the fourth floor of the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) building in Mulago since 2016, at the time when the rehabilitation of the Mulago national referral hospital complex started. They now have until the end of 2019, to find another place.
Patrick Ocailap, Deputy Secretary to the treasury, says funds have been allocated for construction works to start.
The facility is expected to be constructed on Owen Road located in Mulago hill. Upon its completion, the facility will have a 200-bed capacity and will have; four operating theatres, three cardiac catheterization laboratories, a 40 bed ICU, tutorial facilities, real-time video conferencing and a 500 seater auditorium that can host international conferences.
It will also have research laboratories that will have a designated area for storing animals used during research. In addition to this, the facility will also have recreational grounds that will be used by members of staff and patients to exercise and relax.
Dr John Omagino, the Executive Director UHI says that the facility will be of the highest quality and will offer a number of amenities like accommodation for both doctors and their family members.
UHI receives more than 60 patients on a weekly basis. Annually 500 paediatric cases and 1,000 adult cases need surgery. Currently, the hospital only has 17 beds, 4 ICU beds, one operating room and one catheterization lab.
Dr James Magara, the board Chairman UHI says that it is high time that government thinks about providing a home for the institute.
“Today people are living longer and yet heart ailments are going up. When we look at numbers, of course, we are concerned about whether the space we currently have and the staff we have can help keep Ugandans safe.”
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