Residents of Kanungu District are set to benefit from improved surgical and emergency healthcare services following the commissioning of a modern operating theatre and 16-unit staff quarters at Kambuga General Hospital. The new facilities, worth Shs3.4 billion, were constructed by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade as part of the government’s Shs43 billion redevelopment of the hospital funded by the Ministry of Health.
The commissioned infrastructure includes a modern operating theatre and two identical two-storey staff accommodation blocks, each providing eight self-contained apartments. The units feature two bedrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, toilet, fitted wardrobes and battery rooms for backup power systems, bringing health workers closer to the hospital to improve service delivery. Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday, Captain Yunus Ntegeka of the UPDF Engineering Brigade said the completed facilities mark the first phase of the hospital’s redevelopment.
He said the first phase covered construction of the operating theatre and staff quarters. Although the project was initially expected to take 12 months from March 2024, administrative restructuring within the UPDF extended implementation to 36 months. Despite the delays, Ntegeka said the brigade remained committed to delivering quality infrastructure and assured the public that the remaining phases would be completed within the agreed timelines. Kambuga General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kasudha said although government committed Shs43 billion to the redevelopment project, only Shs9.7 billion was allocated for the first phase, of which Shs4.2 billion has so far been released.
He said Shs3.4 billion was spent on the operating theatre and staff quarters, while the remaining Shs800 million has been used to begin construction of a maternity ward as the hospital awaits additional funding. Kasudha thanked the Government and the UPDF Engineering Brigade for prioritising the hospital, saying the new facilities will improve access to quality healthcare and encourage more residents to seek treatment at the government facility.
Kanungu Assistant District Health Officer Kato Besisira said the overall redevelopment budget allocates Shs30 billion for civil works and Shs13 billion for medical equipment. He explained that construction is being undertaken in phases to allow the hospital to continue providing services throughout the redevelopment. He added that the district leadership would work with the hospital management committee to ensure proper maintenance of the new infrastructure.
Commissioning the facilities, Assistant Resident District Commissioner Catherine Nakaye praised the UPDF Engineering Brigade for delivering quality work. Nakaye said providing accommodation for health workers within the hospital will reduce absenteeism, improve emergency response and enhance the quality of healthcare services. Established in 1965, Kambuga General Hospital serves residents of Kanungu District and neighbouring communities, including patients from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
However, the facility has long struggled with inadequate infrastructure, limited bed capacity and shortages of medical equipment, forcing many patients to seek treatment at private facilities such as Bwindi Community Hospital and Kisiizi Hospital. The hospital came under national spotlight in January 2023 when then ICT and National Guidance Minister, now Health Minister, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi collapsed during a public function in Kanungu after suffering a hypertension-related illness.
Although he was rushed to Kambuga General Hospital, he was later airlifted to Kampala for specialised treatment, triggering renewed public debate over the state of healthcare services and infrastructure at the facility-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
