PHOTOS: Biden Donates Hi-tech Shs20bn Field Hospital To UPDF

The United States government has donated a fully-equipped level II hospital to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability (URDC) Headquarters in Jinja.

Receiving the facility, Commander of the URDC, Brigadier General Peter Gaetano Omola, expressed gratitude to the US government, attributing the gesture to the strong diplomatic ties between the two nations. “It is a manifest that our strategic leaders between the two governments are working in harmony for our good,” he remarked.

This donation marks the second level II hospital the US has provided to the UPDF through the African Peace Keeping Rapid Response Partnership (APRRP) program, which began in 2016.

Brigadier General Omola highlighted that the first level II hospital, initially stationed in Bombo for COVID-19 response, is currently deployed in Mogadishu, supporting UPDF troops in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

The idea, he explained, is for the UPDF to have two level II hospitals: one for training and another for emergency deployments.

Brigadier General Dr Kiyengo, representing Joint Staff Health Services, emphasised the hospital’s advanced equipment for diagnosing and treating patients in areas such as dental, radiology, surgery, X-ray, and eye care.

According to a statement by the US Embassy, this 22-bed facility valued at $5.5m, is equipped with specialized suites for dental and surgical care, is designed for rapid deployment in response to regional peacekeeping, humanitarian emergencies, and medical crises.

Dr Joe Bibling, Head of the American experts and manufacturers behind the donation and an Associate Professor in Military and Emergency Medicine at the US Military Medical School, affirmed the program’s purpose to enhance UPDF’s ability to respond to crises across Africa, from natural disasters to peacekeeping. He noted that a level II UN field hospital provides surgical services, an intensive care unit, and general outpatient care, among others.

Uganda, chosen for the donation due to its role as a peacekeeping pillar on the African continent, also received a water treatment plant and incinerator alongside the hospital. (All Photos via UPDF)