The government has revealed plans to spend Shs100 billion to operationalise International Specialised Hospital Lubowa even before construction is fully completed.
According to Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng, the facility is now 70 percent complete, with major structural works already done.
“Lubowa Hospital. Has it been completed? No. It is at 70%, the shell got complete, we roofed Lubowa, we have plastered. We are now doing final touches,” Dr. Aceng said.
She explained that the Shs100 billion being requested is meant to prepare the hospital for operations once construction is finalized.
“That is why we need funding for operations and it is good to plan early, because by the end of this calendar year, December, it will be complete and we need to start operationalisation,” she added.
However, the request raised concerns among legislators, with Christine Nandagire questioning why funds are being sought for a facility that is not yet fully complete and was not clearly listed among government health institutions.
“The hospitals and all the institutions under the Uganda government were lined up here, but still, I am not seeing Lubowa Hospital,” Nandagire said.
She added, “So, I am still concerned and I want to know if it is fully constructed because even here, I am not seeing it, but it reflected somewhere in the budget.”
Nandagire further questioned the status and classification of the hospital, asking whether it is public or private and what level of healthcare it will provide.
“Is Lubowa Hospital a government hospital or is it private? Which level is Lubowa Hospital? Is it a health centre IV, is it a national referral?” she asked.
The Lubowa facility has been one of Uganda’s most high-profile health infrastructure projects, with government expressing hope that the remaining 30 percent of works will be completed by December 2026.
