Byandala opposes proposed site for Luweero Hospital

A sharp disagreement has erupted between Luweero District Chairman, Mr Ronald Ndawula and Katikamu North Member of Parliament, Mr Abraham Byandala over the proposed construction of Luweero Hospital.

Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Acting Director General of Health Services announced that government had elevated Luweero Health Center IV to hospital status.

He said the government has allocated Shs1.2 billion to construct structures for the proposed hospital and that the Ministry of Health will send essential medicines and other requirements to operationalise the facility, effective June this year.

The news was received with excitement among health workers and residents because a new hospital would improve health service delivery in the district.

However, Mr Byandala proposes that government should buy 20 acres of land elsewhere, and construct the required units at the Hospital.
The current health centre sits on four acres of land, which land, according to Mr Byandala, is not enough to accommodate all the required service points.

But district leaders led by Mr Ndawula, have rejected Mr Byandala's idea arguing that the four acres, if well-planned, are enough to redevelop the health centre into a fully-fledged hospital.

Mr Ndawula says the current plan by the district is to construct storied structures to accommodate all the needed service points but not to spread buildings.

He said the hospital site is strategic and accessible to all people in the district.

Mr Sinani Mabuya, a clinical officer at Luweero Health Centre IV says that the elevation was a big relief and availability of land cannot be an issue. He added that the available space only requires good structural planning.

Mr Bwanika Bbaale, a local politician also supports the position of Mr Ndawula, says there is no need to spend huge sums of money to buy land instead of equipping the hospital to serve people.

The decision to elevate Luweero Health Centre IV to hospital status, comes at a time when the district had embarked on the construction of a four-storied building to accommodate a maternity ward and other medical departments.

Currently, there two hospitals in Luweero District. They are Bishop Ceaser Asili Hospital, a Catholic Church funded hospital and Bombo Military Hospital.