Lubaga Hospital Looking for UgX 2.2 Bn for New CT Scan Machine

Lubaga Hospital is seeking to raise 2.2 billion shillings to upgrade its outdated CT Scan Machine as part of a new fundraising campaign.

The hospital’s current 6-slice scanner, which was installed in 2016, handles approximately 35 scans per week and 140 scans per month but is too slow and limited to meet the growing diagnostic needs of the community.

According to Dr. Julius Luyimbazi, Executive Director of Uganda Martyrs Hospital Lubaga, the existing machine lacks the advanced capabilities necessary for accurate imaging.

“Our current machine is falling behind in terms of performance. This affects our ability to offer the high-quality diagnostic services that patients deserve,” he explained.

A Critical Upgrade for Better Health Services

The hospital plans to replace it with a state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scan machine.

This upgrade is urgently needed as it will significantly enhance the hospital’s diagnostic capacity, providing faster, more detailed imaging for accurate and timely patient diagnoses.

With the new machine, Lubaga Hospital will be able to handle complex investigations and attract referrals from other healthcare facilities, ultimately raising the standard of care for the entire region.

“ The CT scan machine we have  is already an old machine. It does the basic investigations. But it cannot go into details to give us the best resolution,  and the detailed information from the images we are making. So to reach a precise diagnosis so that we can help the patient very well, we need up-to-date machine. A 64 slice machine  to reach our diagnosis precisely. Having a modern CT scan is not just about speed. It’s about precision and being able to detect and treat conditions early,” emphasized Dr. Milka Habte, Head of the Radiology Department at Lubaga Hospital.

To support this effort, Lubaga Hospital has organized a Fundraising Dinner set for 17th October 2024 at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel.

The event is themed “A Legacy of Care: Born, Treated, and Trained at Lubaga,” reflecting the hospital’s rich heritage of 125 years of delivering exceptional healthcare services.

The campaign aims to cover not only the purchase of the new machine but also the costs of upgraded software and a modern records management system to ensure seamless patient care.

A Personal Plea from Kampala’s Lord Mayor

During the campaign launch, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago appealed to all Ugandans, especially the business community, to support this worthy cause.

Sharing his own experience, Mayor Lukwago spoke of the hardships faced by patients seeking treatment outside Uganda:

“The flight from Entebbe to India is eight hours long, and there is no ICU on these planes. It is a troubling experience to fly when you are critically ill. That is why we need to equip our hospitals here at home to handle all kinds of emergencies and specialized treatments,” he urged.

With dedicated doctors and healthcare professionals at Lubaga Hospital, the only thing missing is the right equipment to match their expertise.

“This is not just about helping Lubaga Hospital,” Mayor Lukwago emphasized. “We are building a facility that will serve us, our families, and future generations. It is an investment in our health and well-being.”

Lord Mayor Lukwago noted “ this is an opportunity for everyone who has been touched by Lubaga’s legacy to give back and be part of its future. The new CT scan machine will not only improve patient outcomes but also reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for complex scans, which is often stressful and financially draining”.