KABALE – The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health has launched the construction of a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital in Kabale District.
The monumental project comes with a budget of 8,586,169,640 billion Shillings.
HASO Engineers Company Limited has been entrusted with the construction, and funding for this project has been secured through collaboration between the government and the International Development Agency (IDA).
The anticipated timeline for the completion of this essential medical facility is set at one year and three months.
During the formal handover of the construction site to the contractor yesterday, Dr. Patrick Tusiime, the Commissioner for Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, expressed his optimism regarding the project’s potential.He emphasized that upon the ICU’s completion, it will empower the region to provide advanced medical care, reducing the need for patients to be referred to healthcare facilities in Kampala.
Dr. Tusiime also issued a stern warning to the contractor, urging them to uphold the highest standards of workmanship. He stressed the importance of close collaboration between the contractor, the hospital, and stakeholders from both Kabale municipality and the district to ensure the seamless and timely completion of the project within the prescribed 15-month timeframe.
Dr. John Philbert Nyeko, the Director of Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, reflected on the challenges the hospital faced in 2020 when dealing with COVID-19 patients. He highlighted the critical shortage of ICU equipment and insufficient space as significant impediments. Dr. Nyeko underscored the significance of the upcoming ICU building, which will enable the region’s population to access specialized medical care that was previously only available in Kampala.
The construction of this ICU represents a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare services in the Kabale District and the surrounding region, ultimately improving the lives of countless individuals.
