The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (MODVA) has finalized plans to run the newly established Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) National Referral Hospital under an independent corporate governance framework to accelerate medical decision-making.
The executive framework emerged during a specialized three-day governance retreat for board members and medical experts at Serena Hotel Kigo in Wakiso District. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Mrs. Rosette Byengoma, closed the seminar on Wednesday. She revealed that the ministry is consulting the Accountant General to operate the apex military hospital along the lines of a company limited by guarantee. This structural autonomy will grant the facility operational flexibility, bypassing conventional bureaucratic delays to streamline day-to-day healthcare delivery for troops, veterans, and the public.
“The expectation of the leadership remains a challenge,” Mrs. Rosette Byengoma noted, while demanding that the board immediately implement the new operational standards. “I call upon you that the retreat should renew your commitment to achieving key milestones and cause you all to ‘hit the ground running’ after the retreat.”
The Permanent Secretary explained that the ministry designed the new regulations to hold leadership strictly accountable to global healthcare benchmarks. She stated that the framework requires annual compliance audits to ensure the policies evolve alongside the facility's specialized growth. On the hospital's infrastructure, Mrs. Byengoma noted that long-term expansion plans include constructing an additional specialized block (Block E) to host dedicated oncology and cardiology departments as soon as public funds become available.
“Once you have done what is necessary, you are expected to ensure the highest quality of care to the clients,” Mrs. Rosette Byengoma added.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Francis Omaswa, confirmed that the leadership team spent the retreat reviewing the hospital's strategic plan, financial manuals, and procurement procedures. He noted that the board meticulously scrutinized all five core governance manuals to embed the institution’s core values consistently across all administrative levels. Prof. Omaswa emphasized that the final integrated documents will be approved during a formal board meeting in a few weeks to prepare the hospital for international accreditation.
“The institution needs to be very well governed and ranked to the highest international standards,” Prof. Francis Omaswa stated. “It will be one of the best hospitals in Uganda and particularly the African region and internationally, hoping to be accredited at international level to receive both local and international patients and ready to compete with other hospitals in the country and Africa at large.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the UPDF National Referral Hospital, Col. Dr. Ronald Nangamba, reported that the facility has initiated a comprehensive recruitment drive to match its specialized clinical scope. He explained that the newly developed human resource manual includes competitive retention policies specifically designed to attract and motivate top-tier medical specialists. Col. Dr. Nangamba thanked the defense ministry and military leadership for treating national health infrastructure as a top state priority.
