Each year, hundreds of Ugandans with complex heart conditions are referred abroad for treatment due to limited specialized cardiovascular care in the country.
Many of the heart patients who are not privileged and unable to raise funds for treatment abroad are left for dead.
However, this burden is set to ease.
Uganda has on Wednesday launched the construction of a state-of-the-art 250-bed cardiac hospital in Naguru Kampala.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s healthcare sector.
The Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) specialized hospital will have 10 floors, 250 beds (40 ICU), 3 operating theaters, and 2 catheterization labs to provide world-class cardiovascular care.
With 10 floors, 250 beds (40 ICU), 3 operating theaters, and 2 catheterization labs, the new UHI hospital will provide world-class cardiovascular care.
Expected to be completed in 2027, the state-of-the-art facility will provide lifesaving treatment for over 7,000 heart patients in Uganda and the region each year.
Beyond saving lives, it will significantly cut costs for both the government and individuals by reducing the need for expensive travel abroad for specialized heart treatment and surgeries.
Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death globally.
Changing lifestyles, dietary habits, urbanization, genetic predisposition have led to a steady rise in conditions such as hypertension, heart failure, stroke, and other non-communicable diseases.
This burden has increased the demand for specialized cardiac care, yet Uganda Heart Institute has long operated in inadequate facilities within Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Nabbanja acknowledged that the need for expanded infrastructure and modern equipment has never been greater.
“The NRM government, together with our development partners have prioritized the construction of a dedicated state of the art home for Uganda Heart Institute. Today, we break ground for the Uganda Heart Institute infrastructure development project, a long-awaited initiative that will transform cardiac care in Uganda,” she said.
“This facility will provide the following; a model well equipped cardiac hospital to handle the growing demand for specialized health care, increase the capacity to reduce patient referrals abroad – that will save Ugandan families the high cost of seeking treatment overseas; adverse training and research opportunities to enhance local expertise in cardiovascular medicine; and job opportunities for healthcare professionals. That is strengthening Uganda’s human resource capacity in specialized medical care,” she added.
The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said that the Uganda Heart Institute is part of government’s efforts to reduce referrals abroad and save Uganda foreign exchange, but also improve specialized training and research in cardiovascular medicine, enhance early diagnosis, prevention and timely interventions for cardiovascular diseases, and position Uganda as a regional center of excellence for cardiovascular care.
The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwiine said that once the facility is complete, there will be no reason to refer heart patients abroad for treatment.
A significant number of Uganda’s heart specialists have sought opportunities abroad due to the country’s limited medical infrastructure and lack of advanced facilities to support their expertise.
Recognizing this challenge, the Ministry of Health is actively working to increase the number of specialists at the Uganda Heart Institute.
With the construction of the new state-of-the-art cardiac hospital, the government hopes to reverse the trend of medical brain drain by providing a world-class environment that will attract highly skilled cardiologists back to the country.
“As we open this facility, we need to look beyond what we have in the country, and we attract all our Ugandan experts in the country. This is our dream, and this is our strategy. We want to see how we can attract all our Ugandan specialists in the country so that they are able to serve the people, but also stay in the country, because many left because they didn’t have what to use and the environment. But with this environment we are creating, we believe that many more people will come back,” said Atwiine.
“We’re not just constructing a building. We are creating a lifeline for thousands of patients, and this facility will be a place where hope is restored, where children and adults receive the best cardiovascular care, and where medical excellence thrives,” said the Board Chairman of Uganda Heart Institute, Dr James Magara.
For decades, the Uganda Heart Institute has been at the forefront of cardiovascular healthcare, offering specialized treatment, conducting research and training health professionals.
However, the Institute has operated on a limited space at Mulago national specialized hospital, limiting its capacity to meet the increasing number of patients, and growing demand for advanced cardiac care.
The rising burden of cardiovascular diseases in Uganda and across the region necessitated the urgent establishment of a stand-alone world class cardiovascular hospital.
The Uganda Heart Institute Executive Director, Dr John Imagino said the hospital will provide “affordable and accessible cardiovascular treatment and care to the people of Uganda; improve on specialized teaching, training and research; enhance early preventive and timely intervention measures against cardiovascular diseases; provide awareness of the magnitude and management of cardiovascular disease in Uganda and in the region; and reduce referrals abroad and save foreign exchange reserves for other purposes.”
The construction of the project will cost USD 70 million, a loan that government secured from Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the OPEC Fund, and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
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