The executive director, Uganda Heart Institute (UHI), John Omagino, has urged lawmakers to support a request of $73 million for the proposed construction of the Institute in Naguru-Nakawa.
"We have the land title and we are ready to start construction of the first phase on 1 July. Through counter funding, we have completed initial works which include opening of boundaries," said Omagino as MPs toured the proposed site on Wednesday.
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Omagino told MPs that the institute was allocated 10 acres out of the 86 acres of the Naguru-Nakawa land, adding that in two years, a flagship hospital will be ready and is expected to conduct 5,000 heart surgeries yearly.
"This facility will save costs of up to $73 million per year which the government incurs in sending patients abroad. For each patient we send abroad, we spend $15,000 and on top of that, we support those countries to build their capacities and improve their research," Omagino said.
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He also asked the legislators to intervene in the ongoing land row, which he said has hindered the complete acquisition of the Institute's land.
In 2007, the government signed a Public-Private Partnership Agreement with an investor, Opec Prime Properties, to redevelop the Naguru-Nakawa housing estates into two ultra-modern sustainable satellite towns.
However, this obligation was not met, prompting cabinet in 2018 to terminate the contract and Uganda Land Commission (ULC) repossessed the land, awaiting reallocation to new developers.
"We have a few individuals who have refused to vacate the land, despite cancellation of their land titles by the government. We have so far 85 percent possession of our 10 acres. We need to actualise this project with your support," Omagino said.
The UHI is currently operating in Mulago Hospital and Omagino said that the space there does not give room for expansion.
"The space we have there is too small; it is only two acres," said Omagino, noting that efforts are underway to decentralise services of the institute countrywide.
