Govt seals heart institute deal with Arabian bank
(L-R) Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Patrick Ocailap, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and Dr Sidi Ould Tah, the BADEA director general, at the ceremony in Egypt on May 23. Photo/Courtesy
What you need to know:
- Mr Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development signed this Financing Agreement with Dr Sidi Ould Tah, the director general of BADEA at the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Egypt on May 23.
- Parliament in February approved the government proposal to borrow Shs259 billion ($70 million) for the construction of the facility that will sit on a 10-acre land in Naguru, Kampala.
The government has sealed a $20 million deal with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) towards the construction of the $73million Uganda heart institute.
Mr Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development signed this Financing Agreement with Dr Sidi Ould Tah, the director general of BADEA at the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Egypt on May 23.
Parliament in February approved the government proposal to borrow Shs259 billion ($70 million) for the construction of the facility that will sit on a 10-acre land in Naguru, Kampala.
According to Mr Kasaija, the project will be co-financed by three different development partners including; Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), Opec Fund for International Development (OFID) and BADEA.
SFD will provide $30 million, OFID $20 million while BADEA will provide $20 million.
“The construction and equipping of the Uganda Heart Institute project will cost $70 million. Each financier will be co-financing the project,” Mr Kasaija said after signing the agreement.
The government will provide $3 million which will mainly finance project management activities and consultancy services for all studies and designs and construction supervision.
According to Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Minister of Health, this facility will host a cardiac centre with a 250-bed capacity. She said Uganda records show 25 percent of the population has hypertension while 8 percent have diabetes.
The project, according to Dr Aceng, is consistent with the health sector projects in the National Development Plan III, which is aligned with Vision 2040.
According to the project brief, the overall project will have a clinical block with a total area of about 24,130 sqm which consists of two basements, one ground floor, and nine typical floors; a research and laboratories block, consisting of a basement, a ground floor, and nine typical floors.
Dr John Omagino, the executive director of the UHI, told this publication in February that the construction will start mid this year after the government, secured funders.
