The government has launched the construction of new training facilities at three public health training institutions under a €1.2 million (about UGX 5 billion) project aimed at improving the quality of health education and strengthening Uganda’s health workforce.
The 12-month project, funded by the Belgian development agency Enabel, will be implemented at Hoima School of Nursing and Midwifery, Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Fort Portal College of Health Sciences.
At Hoima School of Nursing and Midwifery, the project will include a skills laboratory, simulation rooms, library, ICT rooms, storage facilities and preparation rooms. Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery will receive new lecture rooms, simulation rooms, preparation rooms, offices and storage space, while Fort Portal College of Health Sciences will benefit from a skills laboratory, lecture halls, offices, simulation rooms and preparation rooms.
King Albert Construction Limited will undertake the works at Hoima School of Nursing and Midwifery, ESBRO Construction Limited will construct the facilities at Fort Portal College of Health Sciences, while ROHI Services Limited will implement the project at Jinja School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Launching the construction works at Hoima School of Nursing and Midwifery on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, said improving infrastructure at health training institutions will provide safer and more supportive learning environments for students and staff, ultimately strengthening the capacity of the institutions to deliver quality health education.
She said the new facilities will enhance practical skills training and better prepare graduates to serve the country’s health sector.
Turyagyenda urged the contractors to deliver the projects within the agreed timelines while ensuring transparency, accountability and value for money.
Hannah Nayoga, the Intervention Manager for Enabel’s We Train for Health Programme, said the infrastructure project forms part of broader efforts to improve health training by creating better learning environments for students pursuing nursing, midwifery and other health-related courses.
She described the project as a critical investment in Uganda’s health workforce, noting that modern training facilities are essential for producing competent health professionals.
According to Nayoga, the new infrastructure will enable students to receive practical training in environments that reflect real health care settings, equipping them with the skills needed to serve communities and health facilities across the country.
She said the investment demonstrates Enabel’s continued partnership with the Government of Uganda in advancing education, skills development and strengthening the country’s health system.
The Commissioner for Health Education and Training at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Safinah Kisu Museene, said the project aligns with the government’s efforts to strengthen professional health training institutions.
She said quality health education depends on adequate infrastructure that supports both theoretical instruction and practical learning, adding that the new facilities will help students acquire the knowledge, skills and professional values needed to provide quality healthcare services.
Hoima Resident City Commissioner Badru Mugabi called on the contractors, institutional administrators and other stakeholders to work closely together to ensure the projects are completed on schedule. He pledged to closely monitor the implementation of the works at Hoima School of Nursing and Midwifery and warned contractors against compromising quality, stressing that the projects must deliver value for public investment-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
