The head of Mukono General Hospital has voiced concerns over slow development at the facility, blaming the district’s current leadership for delays in critical improvements.
Dr. Kasirye, the hospital’s medical superintendent, expressed optimism that new leadership could accelerate much-needed progress.
Mukono General Hospital was upgraded in the 2019/2020 financial year, but according to Dr. Kasirye, little has changed since then.
Speaking at an NRM restructuring meeting in Ntawo, he criticized the district’s current leadership for engaging in unnecessary disputes instead of focusing on service delivery.
“The problem in Mukono is not at the national level but within the district leadership itself,” Dr. Kasirye said.
He welcomed the candidacy of Francis Lukooya Mukoome, who is seeking the NRM ticket for the district’s top leadership position.
The current district chairperson, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, switched from NRM to the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) ahead of the last elections.
Mukono General Hospital Challenges
Mukono General Hospital is grappling with staff shortages, with only 147 healthcare workers, just 52% of the required number.
Dr. Kasirye said the district’s failure to set up a functional service commission for nearly three years has stalled staff recruitment.
The hospital is also in dire need of specialist doctors, particularly obstetricians, gynecologists, and surgeons.
Infrastructure challenges remain a pressing concern, especially in maternity care. Critical areas needing expansion or renovation include:
- Maternity and neonatal units
- Emergency care and accident unit
- Labor wards and postnatal care
- Staff accommodation
- Completion of the hospital’s perimeter fence
Additionally, the hospital lacks essential medical equipment, including an X-ray machine, monitors, suction machines, and surgical tools.
Francis Lukooya Mukoome, a former district chairman, said he is committed to serving the people rather than engaging in political conflicts.
He highlighted past contributions, including donating a district building to house NRM offices and setting up a community call center with 68 computers for youth development.
However, he lamented reports that the center had been sold to a private developer.
“We need to reclaim our power to transform this district,” Mukoome said.
In the last elections, he contested for the Mukono South parliamentary seat as an independent after losing the NRM primary to Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga. However, both were defeated by Democratic Party’s Fred Kayondo.
Efforts to get a response from the current district chairperson, Rev. Peter Bakaluba, were unsuccessful.
However, in previous social media posts, he has dismissed Lukooya as someone seeking a government job rather than genuinely competing to serve.
As Mukono prepares for another election cycle, the debate over leadership and service delivery is likely to remain a key issue for residents.
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