Government has offered a fresh update on the progress of the International Specialised Hospital in Lubowa, amid renewed public scrutiny over the project’s transparency and pace.
Emmanuel Ainebyoona, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, released images from the construction site this week, showing the multi-storey hospital building now at the fifth floor.
“Visited the International Specialized Hospital of Uganda, Lubowa today as promised. The Super structure is advancing to the finishing stage. Please visit the careers page if you have what it takes,” he said.
The photos reveal a bustling construction scene, with workers on site, extensive scaffolding, and concrete columns and slabs taking shape.
“The teams have been working day and night, I shared these a bit-old photos because someone wanted to claim that the site,” Ainebyoona said, pushing back against circulating claims that only temporary site offices had been erected so far.
He emphasized that the construction has progressed significantly, beyond what the released images show.
The photos capture a growing structure marked by concrete formwork and steel reinforcements, indicating active and ongoing work on the hospital’s superstructure.
The hospital, envisioned to provide world-class specialised medical services, is being developed by Italian firm Finasi in partnership with Uganda’s own Roko Construction.
However, the project has not been without controversy. Over the years, it has attracted criticism due to a lack of transparency and accountability, especially given the massive public investment it has drawn.
The government recently earmarked shs 465 billion in the 2025/26 financial year for the hospital’s development pushing total expenditure to an estimated shs1.39 trillion.
Despite the criticism, the Ministry of Health insists progress is steady and visible on the ground, and that the Lubowa facility will eventually transform Uganda’s healthcare capacity once complete.
