By Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has announced the designation of Mulago National Referral Hospital as Uganda’s central tele-radiology center to support regional hospitals that lack radiologists.
The revelation was made during Thursday’s Prime Minister’s Question Time in Parliament in response to a concern raised by Amuru Woman MP Lucy Akello, who questioned the absence of radiologists at several regional referral hospitals.
“Several regional referral hospitals lack radiologists because the government has struggled to attract specialists to certain facilities,” Nabbanja said. “Efforts are underway to recruit radiologists for all regional hospitals.”
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To bridge the gap, the government has established a tele-radiology system at Mulago Hospital, where radiological images such as X-rays can be transmitted from remote hospitals, interpreted by specialists at Mulago, and reported back to guide patient care. The Prime Minister noted this innovation is part of a wider effort to modernize and decentralize access to specialized healthcare services.
Tele-radiology allows remote diagnosis and consultation by specialists, a method widely used in advanced health systems. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, radiologists are trained to interpret medical images, facilitating diagnosis and collaboration with physicians treating patients.
The session also addressed other pressing health infrastructure issues. Moroto District Woman MP Stella Atyang raised the alarm over dysfunctional X-ray and scanning equipment and the underutilization of a new oxygen plant at Moroto Regional Referral Hospital.
In her response, Nabbanja said, “A maintenance contract was awarded for the X-ray and ultrasound equipment, and spare parts were ordered. The machines were repaired and became functional on March 1, 2025.” She added that a new X-ray machine has been procured and is scheduled for installation within two weeks.
On the oxygen plant, the Prime Minister said the old unit had been repaired and was now operational, while a new high-capacity plant awaits installation of a transformer and voltage stabilizer. To supplement oxygen supply, facilities in Mbale, Soroti, and Lira capable of producing over 500 cylinders daily are on standby to support Moroto during peak demand.
Meanwhile, Kitagwenda Woman MP Dorothy Nyakato decried the lack of Health Centre IIIs in her constituency, noting that the absence of such facilities severely hampers healthcare delivery.
Nabbanja acknowledged the gap, revealing that while 414 Health Centre IIIs have been established in the past five years, over 500 sub-counties and town councils remain underserved due to recent administrative changes.
“Plans are underway to secure funding to build more Health Centre IIIs across the country,” she said.
The session painted a clear picture of Uganda’s ongoing struggle to balance healthcare needs with limited resources but also underscored the government’s commitment to finding innovative and sustainable solutions for improved service delivery.
