The Ministry of Health is reviewing its overall health infrastructure to strengthen local facilities and enable Ugandan medical teams to treat patients domestically, reducing the heavy reliance on costly overseas referrals.
Under the proposed arrangement, the government plans to convert national referral hospitals into super-specialized facilities, while upgrading current regional referral hospitals to national referral status. The restructuring will also transform Health Centre IVs into community hospitals staffed with five doctors, while Health Centre IIIs will be upgraded to accommodate three doctors. Additionally, health authorities are considering a ban on government doctors practicing in private medical facilities to streamline public healthcare delivery.
Speaking on Friday at Hotel Africana during the inaugural professorial lecture for the Director General of Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi revealed that health officials recently met with President Museveni to discuss the policy shift. The President directed the ministry to draft a Cabinet white paper outlining essential reforms across training, recruitment, deployment, and staff welfare.
Dr. Baryomunsi noted that the primary goal is to restore public confidence in local healthcare and halt medical tourism. Addressing inquiries regarding the long-delayed Lubowa Specialized Hospital, he stated that construction has reached 70 percent, with the facility expected to be ready by the end of the year. He added that headhunting for specialized medical personnel is already underway, with public advertisements for remaining vacancies expected soon.
The lecture marked Prof. Olaro’s appointment as Professor of Practice in Health Services Management by Clarke International University. Delivering his address, titled “Reimagining Health Services Management: Leadership for Resilient Health Systems in Africa,” Prof. Olaro emphasized that healthcare systems are intricate networks dependent on strong governance rather than simple input-output mechanics.
He highlighted leadership as the critical factor in coordinating resources effectively, noting that well-managed health institutions consistently deliver superior outcomes compared to poorly led ones. To sustain institutional efficiency and prevent operational breakdowns during leadership transitions, Prof. Olaro urged the government to establish a dedicated leadership academy to groom future healthcare managers and ensure structured succession planning across the sector.