Mulago National Referral Hospital has requested an additional Shs8.598 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year to strengthen 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 revealed that Mulago has conducted five kidney transplants, with four more scheduled between April and May 2025. She emphasized the hospital’s need for funds to procure medicines and screening equipment, which require Shs3.623 billion, as well as Shs2.782 billion for staffing and Shs2.193 billion for capacity building.
“In the next financial year, we plan to conduct 12 kidney transplants, five liver transplants, and 10 corneal operations, which require adequate funding. We also need more equipment and supplies to reduce the cost of tests and turnaround time,” she said.
Dr. Byanyima noted that all kidney donors have fully recovered and resumed work, while transplant recipients are also recovering well. She added that Mulago’s specialists have gained skills from working with the Yashoda medical team.
Benard Sekyanzi (NRM, Budyebo County MP) urged the committee to support the funding request, emphasizing the need to train more specialists. “The demand for liver and corneal transplants is very high, and we need more specialists to perform these operations,” he said.
George Bhoka (NRM, Obongi County MP) called for the operationalization of the Organ Donation and Transplant Council to regulate the medical practice.
Mulago Hospital conducts transplants under the Uganda Human Organ Donation and Transplant Act, 2023, which Parliament passed in November 2022 and the President assented to in March 2023.
Beyond transplant services, the hospital is seeking a total of Shs189.3 billion for the next financial year to complete renovations at Lower Mulago, construct 150 housing units for emergency staff, and procure supplies for critical care, dialysis, and neurosurgery.
Dr. Byanyima pointed out that additional funding recommended by the committee in the 2024/2025 financial year for staffing, specialized medicines, and equipment maintenance was not provided by the finance ministry.
“The hospital continues to struggle with underutilized ICU beds due to understaffing and inadequate supplies for critical care, theatre, and dialysis,” she said.
