Members of Parliament recently questioned Roko Construction Company Ltd. officials on the six-year delay in completing the Mulago national referral hospital expansion project.
The delays and healthcare service limitations at the Mulago National Referral Hospital following the delayed rehabilitation prompted the MPs to take issue with the company upon receiving a deluge of complaints.
Twaha Kagabo, a legislator from Bukoto South, presided over the meeting in the absence of the committee’s chairman, Charles Ayume, a medical officer. According to MP Kagabo, Mulago Hospital is the national face of health delivery.
As a result of some stalling, he said they called Roko to find out the challenges they were facing. They also looked to explore possible solutions for the current problems. Roko received the Shs13b contract from the government in 2014, and it was scheduled to complete the project in 2016.
Roko defenseÂ
Roko’s transaction advisor, Joseph Kibuuka, and quantity surveyor, John Bosco Adroni, led by the managing director, Mr. Mark Koehler, defended the company. According to Koehler the works which been underestimated were hampered by financial hardships, COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, as well as changing engineering works.
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Roko’s main challenge is said to be financial. The company’s massive debt load only began to ease after the government provided it with an Sh200 billion bailout. It is said that the large loan portfolio and bank recoveries meant that the firm had inadequate funds in its accounts than were essential to pay sub-contractors, halting work despite major prior progress.
In order to speed up the construction, Mr. Kibuuka assured legislators that Roko is now much stronger than before. Roko had made a number of changes, including hiring three more engineers.
The work’s progress of the Mulago national referral hospital expansion project
22 theaters, up from the previous eight, have been rebuilt, including one for organ transplants with its own intensive care unit (ICU). Numerous MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray machines have been installed, resulting in more than double the number of intensive care units (ICUs).
If the pace is increased, it is said that Roko can complete the remaining work including electrical and mechanical fittings, in six months. Despite the project’s new completion date of March 2024, Mr. Adroni stated during his recent appearance before Parliament that they are working constantly to complete it in a year.
Reported earlierÂ
Oct 2014
Mulago national referral hospital expansion project needs US$ 50m
Mulago Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda is set for a major upgrade starting next month, after the African Development Bank gave out a US$ 50m loan for this purpose.
As part of the upgrade, a new women’s hospital is being constructed within Mulago hospital to handle most female issues to ease congestion currently being experienced at the female wing at Mulago hospital. The new hospital is being constructed with a US$ 33m loan from the Islamic Development Bank.
The hospital is also going to have a new intensive care unit (ICU), and a children’s ward the current wards will be partitioned into cubicles, and water fountains will also be added around the hospital, as part of the renovation works. The hospital is also going to procure medical equipment, which will include CT and MRI scans and the renovation of theater halls. The current bed capacity at the ICU ward will be increased to 40 up from 12.
Mulago hospital serves as a National Referral Hospital for the entire country and a general hospital as well as Health Centers IV, and III for the Kampala metropolitan. The renovation is welcome, considering that most Ugandans prefer traveling to neighboring countries to seek healthcare services. Most prefer Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital; Kenya’s second largest referral hospital, which is nearer Western Uganda, while those who are financially able to visit the Nairobi Hospital, The Aga Khan University Hospital, and Kenyatta National Hospital which are in Kenya.
Renovation works at the Mulago Referral Hospital are expected to be complete by next year, and the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni is to commission the project this month.
May 2021
Proposed isolation ward at Mulago national referral hospital in Kampala
Proposed isolation ward at Mulago national referral hospital in Kampala
Client: Ministry of Health under the Government of the Republic of Uganda
Funder: World bank
Project manager: Pan modern consults ltd
Quantity surveyor: DEC consultants
Structural engineer: Infrastructure projects ltd
Mechanical engineer: Mega & micro systems
Contractor: Zhongmei engineering group ltd
