Mulago National Referral Hospital is seeking Shs8.598 billion in additional funding for the Financial Year 2025/2026 to bolster its organ transplant services. The hospital’s Executive Director, Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, presented the appeal before the Parliamentary Committee on Health on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
Dr. Byanyima reported that the hospital has conducted five successful kidney transplants, with four more operations scheduled between April and May 2025.
“All the donors have fully recovered and resumed their work, and the recipients have also recovered from surgery, with one of them resuming work. Skills have been transferred from the Yashoda team to our surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and other specialists,” she noted.
She highlighted funding gaps in securing medicines and screening equipment, requiring Shs3.623 billion, Shs2.782 billion for staffing, and Shs2.193 billion for capacity building.
The hospital plans to conduct 12 kidney transplants, five liver transplants, and 10 corneal operations in the next financial year. Dr. Byanyima emphasized the need for more equipment and supplies to reduce costs and turnaround times for tests.
“Adequate funding is crucial to achieving these goals and ensuring efficient service delivery,” she said.
Hon. Benard Sekyanzi (NRM, Budyebo County) called on the committee to prioritize funding for skilling hospital staff to enhance transplant services.
“The need for liver and corneal transplants is very high, and we need many specialists available to perform these operations,” Sekyanzi remarked.
Hon. George Bhoka (NRM, Obongi County) underscored the importance of operationalizing the Organ Donation and Transplant Council, as well as enacting regulations to govern the practice.
The organ transplant services at Mulago Hospital operate under the Uganda Human Organ Donation and Transplant Act, 2023, which was passed by Parliament in November 2022 and assented to by the President in March 2023.
Beyond organ transplant services, Mulago National Referral Hospital requires a total of Shs189.3 billion in additional funding for the 2025/2026 financial year. Key areas include: Shs15.5 billion for completing renovation works at Lower Mulago, Shs14.041 billion for constructing 150 housing units for emergency staff,Shs82.7 billion for procuring supplies for critical care, dialysis, and neurosurgery.
Dr. Byanyima expressed concern over the lack of funding for critical items recommended in the 2024/2025 financial year, including staffing, specialised medicines, and equipment maintenance.
“The hospital continues to grapple with underutilization of ICU beds due to understaffing and inadequate supplies for critical care, theatre, and dialysis,” she said.
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