Uganda Health Sector: Govt. invests around $44 mln to renovate referral hospital

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02:28

Uganda is investing millions of dollars in its medical system. It's trying to build state-of-the-art hospitals that will allow Ugandans to have specialized care. CGTN's Isabel Nakirya has more.

Joweria Natongo has been on the transplant list for three years now. She was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure. No hospitals in Uganda are equipped to do kidney transplants, so Joweria has been doing everything she can to save money to go to India for the operation. Meanwhile, she's on dialysis.

JOWERIA NANTOGO KIDNEY PATIENT "The more time you spend on the dialysis machine, the weaker your body becomes and the weaker to handle transplant process and the more transfusions, the higher the chances of the new kidney rejecting your body."

ISABEL NAKIRYA KAMPALA, UGANDA "Time is running out for Joweria to find a kidney donor. She has exhausted the few options available to her, like a donation from a family member. But her search has been unsuccessful."

Joweria is one of hundreds of Ugandans who would be candidates for organ transplants if there were facilities available. The Mulago referral hospital in Kampala receives over 120 kidney cases every week. Doctors say many of these cases need transplants, which can't be done here. But a new unit is now in its completion stage.

DR. BYARUHANGA BATERANA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MULAGO HOSPITAL "Before we were not doing organ transplants like kidney or bone marrow transplants in this country, but now they will be done here."

Authorities say the facility will be fitted with 20 theaters using the latest technology. A kidney transplant done here will cost about $6000, far less than what it will cost Joweria to travel to India and pay for an operation there.

JOWERIA NANTOGO KIDNEY PATIENT "My relatives have been helping out, I also got some fundraisers to assist."

Facilities for transplant operations at the Mulago Referral Hospital will be open in five months. But for now, patients like Joweria are saving their money for the more expensive but lifesaving treatment outside Uganda. Isabel Nakirya, CGTN, Kampala, Uganda.