Hoima catholic diocese has initiated a fundraising drive to construct a specialised children and women’s hospital in Bujumbura cell, West Division, Hoima City.
Rev. Fr. Jude Tadeo Ssemambo the diocesan project publicity committee chairperson while briefing the media on Monday said the sh40b hospital once complete will supplement ongoing efforts to improve on access to quality maternal and child healthcare services in the diocese.
The diocese is comprised of the districts of Hoima, Masindi, Kikuube, Buliisa, Kiryandongo, Kagadi, Kakumiro and Kibaale.
Breaking of the ground and the official launch of the fundraising drive will be on Saturday, June 25, 2022 in Bujumbura along Rwenkobe road.
Ssemambo said the function, which is expected to be presided over by President Yoweri Museveni, will start with a Holy mass at 10:00am led by Rt. Rev. Vincent Kirabo, the diocese Bishop.
The five-storeyed building which will sit on a 7 acre piece of land, shall comprise wings/departments such as pediatric, antenatal and gynecology.
Others will be emergency, radiology, physiotherapy, operating theaters, Intensive Care Unit, laboratories, AIDS/HIV clinic, maternity wards, and surgical wards, private rooms on every ward, Administration offices, conference rooms, cafeteria and chaplaincy.
In a brochure released, the facility will be 100% privately owned by the diocese of Hoima with a board of directors to provide strategic guidance and policy management.
Ssemambo said the contractor will be unveiled by the Bishop on the project launch.
The project is expected to last between seven to eight years and will be done in two phases.
The initial phase will have a bed capacity of 182 beds, and upon completion the facility will have an overall bed capacity of 318 beds, 272 general and 46 private beds.
Rev. Fr. Davis Mugisa Musiime, the general project coordinator said they feel moved by the blighting revelation of a recent national survey findings which indicated that, Bunyoro region posted the lowest 44.5% proportion of mothers attending antenatal care.
In the survey report, the risk of complicated child births and high neonatal deaths was at 60%, with the third highest infant mortality rate and second highest childhood stunting rates at 12.5% county wide.
“It is upon this background the hospital will give special attention to women and children but also people from all walks of life. Services will be at a subsidised given cost,” Musiime explained.
Musiime said they have already formed a ten-member taskforce which is led by Fred Kabagambe Kaliisa, the former Permanent Secretary for the energy ministry now Presidential adviser on energy, minerals, oil and gas.
The diocese has expressed happiness over the overwhelming support by the local population for the project.
The project has so far received support in form of pro-bono services such as topographic survey, environmental and social impact assessment, feasibility study, contributions from parishes and diocesan institutions and letter of no objection from ministry of health.
Rev. Fr. Paul Bigirwa the diocesan spiritual leader and Parish priest ST. Cyprian Hoima catholic Town parish, explain that they are relying on members of the community to contribute towards the completion of the project.
Bigirwa explains that Bunyoro sub-region has two million adults, adding that if they all decided to start saving sh2,000 per month, within one year all the (sh40b) needed in project financing would be collected.
The Head of Pontifical Mission Society Rev. Fr. Lawrence Ayesiga encouraged parents to continue educating their children in the field of sciences because the facility will need doctors and other workers.
The Prelate has previously invited people to support this all inclusive project with whatever financial help they are eligible for donating.
Hoima diocese, which was formed on August 9, 1965, being made up of areas cut from the then Fort Portal Diocese and Lubaga Archdiocese, has no mission hospital.
And anybody who wants to support can deposit his contribution on bank accounts; centenary BANK account No: 3100058859, MTN Mobile money account: 0777802459, Airtel account: 0702662004. The two mobile money accounts are in the name of Davis Mugisa Musiime.
