In a major development aimed at reducing maternal mortality and easing severe hospital congestion, leaders in Kanungu District on 17th September, 2026, officially broke ground and handed over site for the construction of a modern UGX 6.7 billion multi-purpose healthcare facility at Kihihi Health Centre IV.
The project is funded by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Health in partnership with Kanungu District Local Government. Construction will be undertaken by the UPDF Engineering Brigade.
The development is urgently needed. Positioned near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kihihi Health Centre IV routinely receives high patient volumes and cross-border inflows. According to the official site handover document, the centre currently handles an average of 280 to 300 patients daily, making it vulnerable to high disease exposure, infection risks, and requiring immediate structural expansion.
According to the handover document, the Ministry of Health first disbursed UGX 400 Million to the UPDF Engineering Brigade and UGX 200 Million to the District to facilitate initial works. The district is now processing documentation to secure the remaining balance of the UGX 6.7 Billion.
The facility will sit on vacant land within the health facility compound measuring 74 meters long by 47.7 meters wide, covering approximately 3,530 square meters. The site is gently sloping and suitable for construction, with direct access from the main Health Centre internal road network.
The objectives of the project are: (i) to increase the bed capacity of the Maternity Ward to adequately serve the high patient volume; (ii) to provide modern delivery rooms, postnatal care spaces and neonatal care facilities; (iii) to improve infection prevention and control through better design and sanitation facilities; and (iv) to enhance the working environment for Midwives, Nurses and Clinical Officers.
Hon. James Kaberuka Ruugi, Member of Parliament for Kinkiizi West, who was the chief guest at the groundbreaking ceremony, noted that Kihihi Health Centre IV’s high patient load, especially mothers from Kihihi Town Council and neighboring sub-counties and across the DRC border, has necessitated urgent expansion to improve the quality of care, reduce congestion and enhance maternal outcomes.
Hon. Kaberuka stressed the necessity of strengthening health education so residents understand diseases, how they are contracted, and how to prevent them. He called for active and continuous community engagement on all government projects as one way of avoiding misconception, misinformation and negative attitudes towards government programs.
In a gesture to improve patient comfort, Hon. Kaberuka also donated a flat screen Hisense LED Television, 32-inch, to the health facility to help entertain patients and caretakers while in the waiting area.
Hon. Joshua Rukundo, Kanungu District Vice Chairperson, while commending Hon. Kaberuka for consistently following up on the project from the Ministry of Health to ensure it comes to Kihihi, challenged him to not stop there but to continue lobbying the Ministry of Health to secure the full and remaining funds needed for complete and timely completion of the mega facility.
Rukundo also used the platform to address broader community concerns, warning residents against excessive alcohol consumption and reckless and poor road use, noting with concern that alcohol abuse, over-drinking, and boda boda accidents are claiming many lives of young people across the Kigezi sub-region.
Captain Yunus Ntegeka, Project Manager for the UPDF Engineering Brigade, who are the contractors of the project, presented and displayed to the leaders the hard copy of the approved architectural and structural drawings, and promised to send a soft copy of the same, together with the detailed Bills of Quantities (BoQ) and specifications to the District Engineer for review and record.
On behalf of the brigade, Capt. Ntegeka affirmed their determination and commitment towards timely completion and delivery of good quality work that meets Ministry of Health standards, but appealed to the concerned authorities in the district and the Ministry to expedite and secure the remaining balance in time to avoid any work stoppages and delays.
Mr. Awuye Abdullah, the Kanungu Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), thanked the Government of Uganda for the initiative and for funding the project, and urged the area MP Hon. James Kaberuka to help follow up on the issue of the additional funds to ensure successful project implementation. He confirmed that to facilitate initial works and enable the contractor to start immediately, the district had already secured Shs 200 million for mobilization plus Shs 400 million that is already with the UPDF Engineering Brigade. He therefore pledged total teamwork and commitment from the technical team towards ensuring the necessary documentation is processed quickly to help in lobbying and securing the remaining money from the central government.
Mr. Rogers Tumwesigye, the Mayor of Kihihi Town Council, welcomed the project with excitement and extended his sincere gratitude to Kinkiizi West MP Hon. James Kaberuka and his team of regional leaders for considering and pushing for Kihihi Health Centre IV to get this mega project.
Mayor Tumwesigye urged his fellow local leaders, including town councilors and the Health Unit Management Committee, to ensure proper and close monitoring of the ongoing construction work for purposes of accountability, transparency, value for money and efficiency.
Canon Dr. Birungi Mutahunga, the Kanungu District Health Officer (DHO), emphasized that the project is extremely timely and long overdue. He acknowledged and revealed that currently, only 67% of women in Kanungu District access maternal care services, meaning many mothers still deliver from home under risky conditions.
Dr. Mutahunga expressed optimism that once the facility is completed, it will help to improve access to health services, enhance care delivery, decongest the facility, and drastically reduce maternal and neonatal death rates in the district.
Other officials present at the official site handover included Dr. Musa Ssenteza, In-charge Kihihi Health Centre IV; Eng. Owino Stephen, District Engineer; Ms. Lukia Mbabazi, District Women Councilor; Mr. Ssebishimba Jerome, District Councilor representing Kihihi Town Council; and Ms. Asekenye Claire from the DISO’s Office and other many community members with technical Staffs from health fraternity and District technicals.
Spanning a 74m x 47.7m footprint on vacant land, the proposed maternity ward construction shall include:
Ground Floor composed of Postnatal Ward, Prenatal Ward, Premature (pre-term) Ward, Pre-eclampsia Ward for mothers with high blood pressure, Labour Ward (First Stage), Labour Room 1 and Labour Room 2 (Two Delivery Rooms), Two Surgical Operating Theatres, Female Ward, Private Ward, Midwife on duty room, Staff duty stations, Doctor’s Examination Room, and 3 No. Sanitary Toilets.
First Floor composed of Pediatric Ward for children, Male Ward, Laboratory Ward, Drug Dispensing Room, Treatment Room, Night Duty Room, Examination Room, Private Wing Rooms, Doctors Offices, and 2 No. Sanitary Facilities.
Once complete, the new complex, which will contain two modern maternity wards and other hospital chambers, is expected to greatly expand maternal health services and transform healthcare delivery in Kanungu District and the greater Kigezi region.
by: Kanungu District Local Government
Issued by: Twongyeirwe Mwajuma Twaha Adams, Communications Officer
