The Chairperson of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Charles Ayume, has asked government to pause funding for the construction of Lubowa specialised hospital due to the skyrocketing public debt that was recently revealed to have hit Shs97 trilllion, and instead focus on smaller critical infrastructure projects in the health sector.
He made the remarks during a meeting held between the Committee and officials of the Ministry of Health, who had appeared before Parliament to present their 2024/25 national budget, where the Ministry listed a cocktail of numerous unfunded priorities.
During the meeting, the committee asked the Ministry to pick out the top five priorities that can be defended before the Budget Committee and Parliament.
He cited projects like the Intensive Care Unit building in Masaka regional referral hospital which requires Shs500 million for completion.
“You are very aware that the economy is not very healthy, you saw the Auditor General’s report, the national debt now at 90 trillion. I don’t know where we will get the money for some of these projects,” Ayume said.
Ayume’s remarks come at the time Ministry of Finance also revealed plans to inject Shs197 billion into Lubowa International Specialised Hospital and save Roko Construction Company from bankruptcy as part of payment for the four promissory notes and two bills of exchange when the obligations fall due in financial 2024/25.
George Otim, the Commissioner Health Infrastructure at the Ministry of Health also gave an update to Parliament on the construction works at Lubowa, admitting that for two years, there hasn’t been any work on site, but a new contractor has been acquired and is expected to resume works soon.
