Parliament has approved a motion allowing Kabale Regional Referral Hospital to sublease five acres of land to Kabale University, paving the way for the expansion of the university’s Faculty of Medicine.
The motion, presented by Health Minister Dr. Ruth Aceng during a plenary sitting on Thursday, 31 July 2025, follows a request made by the university in August 2022.
Kabale University plans to construct modern teaching and healthcare facilities, including specialized clinics, patient wards, lecture halls, and operating theatres.
Dr. Aceng described the development as a major boost for medical education and healthcare delivery in southwestern Uganda. She noted that Kabale Regional Referral Hospital serves more than 2.4 million people, including cross-border patients from Rwanda.
“This is more than just a land deal, it’s an investment in better healthcare, stronger medical education, and regional development,” she said.
Dr. Aceng added that the expansion would address the shortage of healthcare workers in the Kigezi sub-region, particularly in districts like Kabale, Kanungu, Ntungamo, Kisoro, and Rukungiri. She noted that the university’s current medical school operates out of a dilapidated hospital structure slated for demolition.
Hon. Charles Ayume, MP for Koboko Municipality, welcomed the move, citing the mutual benefits between medical schools and teaching hospitals.
“A medical school and hospital have a symbiotic relationship. While the university provides education, the hospital benefits from additional services by lecturers and students,” he said.
Tororo District Woman MP, Hon. Sarah Opendi, called for a broader review of regional referral hospitals, many of which she said are underperforming.
“Kabale hospital is still operating as a 100-bed facility, far below the standard for a regional referral hospital,” she noted.
Opendi further highlighted chronic understaffing across regional hospitals, which are functioning at only 25 to 30 percent staffing levels. She urged that this issue be prioritized in the upcoming budget cycle.
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