Parliament has approved loans to a tune of Shs507.058bn that will be used for the construction of oncology facilities to help in the treatment of cancer and solar powered Water Pumping Systems.
The three loans passed include USD98.8m (about Shs365.912bn) from World Bank to finance competitiveness and Enterprise Development, Euros7.5M (Shs32.625bn) from Unicredit Bank Austria for the Construction and Equipping of an Oncology and USD30 (Shs110.977bn) from Exim Bank of India to finance the supply and installation of solar powered Water Pumping Systems.
Government argued that the loan would help increase access to water supply and sanitation services from 65% and 70% respectively in 2010 to 100% by 2035.
According to Government, the Construction of Solar Powered Water Supply systems in selected 20 districts will cost 89.2% (USD 31,490,573) of the total project cost while the Sanitation and Hygiene Improvement Component will cost 7.6% (USD2,671,519) of the total project cost.
The Institutional Capacity Strengthening for Implementation and Sustainability of solar powered water systems component will cost USD 78,908 of the total project cost while the water source protection measures component will cost USD 1,059,000.
The districts to benefit from the project include; Agago, Amudat, Bulambuli, Buliisa Buvuma, Buyende, Kaabong, Kasese, Kibaale, Kisoro , Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Lyantonde Mubende, Nakaseke, Namayingo, Rakai and Sembabule.
The second loan Euros7.5M (Shs32.625bn) from Unicredit Bank Austria for the Construction and Equipping of an Oncology of Northern Uganda Regional Oncology and Diagnostic Center in Gulu, Northern Uganda, inclusive of taxes, is €8.25million.
Unicredit Bank Austria Ag will provide a loan of Euros 7,500,000 (9l% of the total project cost), while Government of Uganda will provide Euros 750,000 (9% of total project cost) as counterpart funding for the project.
Gulu Registry was established in 2014. Between 2013 and 2015, there were a total of 1,319 cases of cancers registered at the Gulu Registry, of which 591 were men and 728 women.
The most common cancers were cancers of the cervix and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in females, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi Sarcoma, prostate and liver cancers in men.
The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) Strategic Plan provides for establishing more centers for cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment at Regional Hospitals to bring services closer to the people while reducing overcrowding at the main cancer institute at Mulago and facilitating early detection of cancer cases.
In the breakdown, the Construction of an Oncology and Diagnostic Centre and Consultancy Services for Architectural Design component of Project will cost 24% (€1,975,000) of the project cost, while the supply and installation of medical equipment for the Oncology and Diagnostic Centre component will cost €5,525,000 (670/o of the project cost).
The other €750,000 will be provided the Government through counterpart funds for project management to largely cater for payment of taxes.
Parliament equally approved the proposal by Gov’t to borrow special drawing rights USD 98.8M additional funding from International Development Association (IDA) of the WBG to finance competitiveness and Enterprise Development.
