Date set for construction of second heart facility

The Executive Director of the Uganda Heart Institute, Dr John Omagino, has said the construction of a second national heart institute in Kampala will commence mid-year.
He said the project, estimated at Shs259 billion, will commence once the ongoing discussions between the government and the funder have been concluded.
Dr Omagino told this publication that the new facility will sit on a 10-acre- piece of land in Nakawa, Naguru.
He said: “The approval of the required funds was done by Parliament. What remains is the financial negotiation and procurement issues between the government and the funder. For example, whose laws do we follow while undertaking procurement?”
Last Friday, while officiating at the 8th Annual Congress organised by the Uganda Heart Association  in Munyonyo, the Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng,  said Parliament already approved the ministry’s request for a $70 million (about Shs259 billion) loan for constructing and equipping the second heart institute in the country.
 Dr Aceng said the new institute will accommodate the Cardiac Centre of Excellence with a 250-bed capacity.
She revealed that Uganda has a high prevalence of cardio vascular risk factors, with one in every four adults in the country (25 percent) having hypertension while 8 percent have diabetes.
 “While we celebrate and share our small victories, it should not be lost on us that as a region, we still have a long way to go to deliver the best care for our population. As government continues to improve management of cardiovascular disease, there are many people for who access of these technologies remain challenging,” she said.
She said most heart diseases can be prevented by having a balanced diet, and exercising, among others.
Dr Omagino said the Heart Institute at Mulago hospital currently performs between 500 and 600 surgeries every year. 
He said the second one at Naguru-Nakawa could result in 5,000 heart surgeries per year.