Construction of new Shs6.7 billion facilities at Kihihi Health Centre IV in Kanungu District has started to address congestion and growing demand for healthcare services at the facility. The project, funded by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health in partnership with Kanungu District Local Government, was officially handed over to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade on Friday.
The new structures will be built within the health centre compound on an area measuring 74 metres by 47.7 metres, covering approximately 3,530 square metres. The ground floor will accommodate various wards and facilities, including a postnatal ward, prenatal ward, premature or pre-term ward, pre-eclampsia ward for mothers with high blood pressure, first-stage labour ward, two delivery rooms and two surgical operating theatres.
The first floor of the new facility will comprise a paediatric ward, male ward, laboratory, drug dispensing room, treatment room, night-duty room, examination room, private wing rooms, doctors’ offices and two sanitary facilities. The project will also include two modern maternity wards and other supporting facilities to enhance the quality of healthcare services.
James Kaberuka Ruugi, Kinkiizi West Member of Parliament and chief guest at the groundbreaking ceremony, said the expansion was necessary because of the high number of patients seeking services at the health centre. Kaberuka said Kihihi Health Centre IV serves patients from Kihihi Town Council, neighbouring sub-counties and communities across the Democratic Republic of Congo border.
Kanungu District Health Officer Canon Dr Birungi Mutahunga said the expansion was urgently needed because of the health centre’s strategic location near the DRC border, which contributes to high patient numbers and cross-border movement. Mutahunga said the facility currently attends to between 280 and 300 patients daily, putting pressure on existing infrastructure and increasing the risk of disease transmission and infections.
Kanungu Chief Administrative Officer Awuye Abdullah Awuye thanked the government for funding the project and pledged the district’s support towards its successful implementation. Awuye said the district had secured Shs200 million for mobilisation to facilitate the commencement of the works, while another Shs400 million had been provided to the UPDF Engineering Brigade.
The expansion is expected to strengthen Kihihi Health Centre IV’s capacity to provide maternity, surgical, laboratory, paediatric and other specialised services to communities in Kanungu and across the border. The project is a significant development in the region, and stakeholders are optimistic that it will improve healthcare outcomes and reduce congestion at the facility.
Key points
- The project was funded by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health in partnership with Kanungu District Local Government.
- The new structures will cover approximately 3,530 square metres and include various wards and facilities.
- The expansion aims to reduce congestion, improve the quality of healthcare, and enhance maternal health services at Kihihi Health Centre IV.
