Government has confirmed that Ntara Health Centre IV in Kitagwenda District meets the criteria for consideration under the first phase of the planned 100 Community Hospitals programme for the financial year 2027/28.
The assurance was given by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, in response to a question raised by Hon. Robert Mugabe, Member of Parliament for Kitagwenda County, over the limited access to specialised health services in the district.
Hon. Mugabe told Parliament that Kitagwenda District, which has 13 sub-counties and town councils, has only four Health Centre IIIs and one Health Centre IV, Ntara. The district has no hospital, forcing residents seeking specialised care to travel about 115 kilometres to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital.
He said the long distance has contributed to delays in accessing emergency medical services, particularly for expectant mothers and other patients requiring urgent attention, resulting in preventable loss of lives.
Hon. Mugabe further noted that the health infrastructure in the district does not meet the required level of service provision across all sub-counties as stipulated by Government policy.
He asked Government to consider prioritising Ntara Health Centre IV for elevation to a Community Hospital among the 100 facilities expected to be considered in the next financial year.
In her response, Prime Minister Nabbanja said Government had proposed a phased programme to upgrade existing Health Centre IVs across the country from their current 24-bed capacity to Community Hospitals with a capacity of 60 beds.
She explained that the programme would cover all existing Health Centre IVs nationwide, with facilities being upgraded in phases rather than through a selective process.
According to the Prime Minister, the first phase will give priority to districts that do not have a hospital and constituencies that currently lack a Health Centre IV.
Nabbanja said the Ministry of Health had already assessed Ntara Health Centre IV against the criteria that will guide selection under the Community Hospitals programme.
The criteria include the absence of a hospital in the district, distance to the nearest referral hospital, the population served by the facility and its existing service performance.
“On the strength of this assessment, the Ministry of Health confirms that Ntara Health Centre IV meets the threshold criteria for consideration,” Nabbanja said.
She added that Ntara HC IV will be formally included among the facilities appraised for the first phase of the 100 Community Hospitals programme in the financial year 2027/28.
However, the Prime Minister clarified that inclusion in the appraisal process does not amount to final selection.
She said the final selection and sequencing of the 100 Community Hospitals would be determined through a national prioritisation exercise led by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The final priorities will be reflected in the FY 2027/28 Budget and the health sector allocations under the Fourth National Development Plan.
Nabbanja also assured Parliament that Government would, in the meantime, continue strengthening Ntara HC IV’s emergency obstetric and surgical capacity to improve access to critical services.
The development offers renewed hope to residents of Kitagwenda, who have long called for improved health infrastructure and easier access to specialised medical care within the district.