New Mulago women’s hospital opens next week

Kampala.

The specialised women’s hospital opens on Monday with hope that it will decongest Mulago National Referral Hospital, offer first class care for both mothers and their babies as well as reduce referrals abroad.
Arab Consults of Egypt, the contractors that have been building the 450-bed capacity Mulago Specialised Hospital, Maternal and Neonatal Centre since 2015, handed it over yesterday to Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.
“This is a living testimony that government is delivering on its promise to deliver facilities and quality services,” Dr Rugunda said at the facility.
“We are going to bring to an end having to rush [cases] of specialised care of mothers and children to South Africa, India and USA,” he added as he led a team of ministers to tour the facility.
Health minister Ruth Aceng said the hospital, which will treat women with complex reproductive health problems, offer neonatal treatment and early cancer detection, among others, is a dream come true to decongest Mulago.
“All departments [of Mulago] experienced congestion but the situation was worse in the women’s section of delivery and management of diseases related to women. The children’s section was also faced with a similar challenge,” Dr Aceng said.
The new facility was constructed with a Shs94.5b loan from the Islamic Development Bank.
Dr Aceng said a committee has been instituted to come up with appropriate charges for the hospital.
“Cabinet is expected to approve these charges on Monday and they will be communicated to the public thereafter,” he said.
With the construction of the new hospital, Mulago Hospital’s Gynaecology and Obstetrics department will be transferred to the new centre.