Minister of State for Sports Peter Ogwang has called for increased investment in infrastructure at government-aided health training institutions, saying inadequate facilities are undermining the quality of professional training.
Mr Ogwang said some government institutions have adequate infrastructure while others remain poorly equipped and appear neglected despite their importance to the health sector.
‘We have some institutions that are doing well, but there are some you go there and want to cry. For an institute to perform well, infrastructure is key. Even in sports, you can’t perform when you are not doing enough training from a good environment,’ he said.
He was speaking on Friday during the fourth graduation ceremony of Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery.
Mr Ogwang said a conducive learning environment, trained staff and facilities such as laboratories and accommodation are essential for producing competent health workers.
He directed the Commissioner for Health Education and Training in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Safinah Kisu Musene, to provide funding for the construction of a female hostel at the college.
He further instructed the ministry to consider reallocating funds from institutions with adequate infrastructure to support facilities that remain underserved.
The directive followed concerns raised by the college principal, Mr Wilber Tukamuhabwa, who said the institution, which was taken over by the government in 2017, had not received funding for the construction of a single building.
He also said the college is operating with less than 25 percent of its required staff.
Dr Musene urged the graduating nurses and midwives to uphold professionalism in their workplaces and pursue further education to improve their skills and employment opportunities.
A total of 432 nurses and midwives graduated, including eight diploma students. Mr Tukamuhabwa said more than 700 students have graduated from the institution since its establishment.
The college was established as a district project in 2010 before being taken over by the government, following efforts by then Ruhaama County MP and First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni.
Mr Ogwang also commissioned a 70-seater bus provided to the college by the Ministry of Education and Sports and a 200-seater classroom block constructed with support from parents.
He told the gathering that Mrs Museveni had fully recovered from her recent illness and thanked residents for their prayers.
‘I am happy to inform you that the First Lady is now fully recovered, courtesy of your prayers, and she will soon be ready to perform all her duties. Continue praying for her,’ he said.
The minister said the government would work towards ensuring equitable infrastructure development across health training institutions.
According to Ministry of Health statistics cited at the ceremony, the country faces a significant shortage of nurses and midwives, with less than 25 percent of the required personnel available in some health facilities and fewer than 60 percent of the required cadres trained.
Ruhaama County MP Beatrice Rwakimari urged the government to increase support to health training institutions, particularly in infrastructure, quality assurance and regulation of training fees, which she said remain too high for many prospective students.