Busoga Health Sector Receives Shs6.5b Infrastructure Boost to Improve Maternal Care

The healthcare landscape in the Busoga sub-region is set for a major transformation following the launch of a Shs6.5 billion infrastructure upgrade initiative. Funded by the Kingdom of Belgium and implemented through its development agency Enabel in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the “WeCare, Caring for Mothers’ Lives” project aims to decongest facilities and enhance maternal and newborn healthcare services.

Eight health facilities across Jinja and Kamuli districts are slated for construction, expansion, and renovation. The beneficiary institutions include Budondo, Bugembe, Mpumudde, and Walukuba health centre IVs in Jinja City; Buwenge General Hospital and Buwenge Health Centre IV in Jinja District; and Namwendwa and Nankandulo health centre IVs in Kamuli District. These facilities recorded a combined 10,702 institutional deliveries in 2024 alone, placing immense pressure on existing infrastructure.

Speaking at the launch at Walukuba Health Centre IV, Enabel programme manager Mr. William Mubiru noted that regional assessments revealed Busoga was lagging behind other areas in infrastructure and service delivery. The funding will target critical areas such as maternity wards, operating theatres, and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Beyond physical structures, the project incorporates alternative power sources like solar systems and generators to combat unreliable electricity supplies.

Despite the impending upgrades, local leaders and health officials have emphasized that buildings alone will not resolve the region’s healthcare challenges. Mr. Mubiru urged the government to expand the wage bill to recruit more midwives, medical officers, and laboratory staff. Local administrators also highlighted severe staff shortages, noting that some facilities operate with critically low specialized personnel, forcing men and women to share cramped wards at places like Bugembe Health Centre IV due to limited space.

Local leaders pledged to maintain strict oversight of the construction works to ensure value for money and timely completion. Read more about this development in the Daily Monitor.