The Uganda Heart Institute has revealed that there are 500 babies struggling with heart complications and require surgery, but all of these have been put on the waiting list until the hospital acquires enough funds to treat the children of their heart conditions.
The revelation was made by John Omagino, Executive Director of Uganda Heart Institute while appearing before Parliament’s Health Committee to present the Institute’s 2023/2024 National Budget Framework Paper for the next financial of 23.3 billion shillings.
“As I talk, I have a waiting list of 500 babies and children who need to use this facility. The facility is there, the people to operate are there, but it is only the budget support (lacking),” remarked Omangino.
He also requested Parliament to ensure that the Institute’s unfunded priorities like the Shs20Bn required to operationalise the ICU and Shs129Bn needed to hire new staff to boost the hospital’s human resource structure so as to improve service delivery.
According to Uganda Heart Institute, the 500 babies are part of 16,000 babies that are born with heart complications annually.
