LACOR HOSPITAL INTENSIFIES FUNDRAISING DRIVE AS PRESIDENTIAL PLEDGE FOR CT SCAN REMAINS UNFULFILLED

Lacor Hospital.

By Achomo Proscovia
Gulu City

St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor Gulu has renewed its appeal for support to purchase a Computed Tomography Scan Machine (CT scan), amid growing concerns over an unfulfilled pledge by President Yoweri Museveni to help secure essential medical equipment.
 
The hospital, one of Northern Uganda’s largest private not-for-profit health facilities, in September 2019, in partnership with Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative – ARLPI and Comrades of Pearl Africa, launched a fundraising drive and has been fundraising since 2021 to acquire a 128-slice CT scan, which is estimated to cost 3 billion shillings. Hospital administrators say the machine is urgently needed to improve diagnostic services and save lives in a region that continues to grapple with high patient loads and complex health cases.
 
Piero Paul Oloya, the hospital administrator revealed that, “The President Museveni had pledged 1.7 billion shillings towards the procurement of the CT scan, but up to now, we haven’t received the money. We were told it would be included in the budget for the financial year that has just ended.”
 
“About three months ago, when we made a follow-up, we were informed that the funds were left out because we didn’t remind them. They told us; remind us so that we include it,” Paul added.
 
The hospital’s own fundraising efforts have also faced significant setbacks. The drive, which began in 2021, coincided with the COVId-19 pandemic, a crisis that both strained hospital resources and reduced the capacity of donors and the general public.
 
“So far, we have managed to raise only 63 million shillings,” Piero Paul Oloya said, “At the current pace, it would take us about 26 years to raise the entire amount, which is simply not viable given the urgency of the need.”
 
Piero Paul also highlighted that maintaining the machine, once acquired, will require an estimated 85 million shillings annually. “This includes technical servicing, software updates, and ensuring it runs efficiently without downtime, which is critical for patient care,” he explained.
 
The hospital aims to purchase a 128-slice CT scan, an advanced medical imaging device capable of producing highly detailed cross-sectional images of the body. Unlike older models, the 128-slices machine can complete scans quickly and with lower radiation exposure to patients.
 
“This machine would transform how we diagnose and treat patients,” Dr. Godfrey Ojok P’Kingston, the deputy medical director for community health services said. “It can detect strokes, internal injuries, tumors, blood clots, and other life-threatening conditions with remarkable speed and accuracy. For trauma cases, a full – body scan can be completed in seconds, helping doctors make-life-saving decisions,” P’Kingston added.
 
The absence of the machine is straining patients in Acholi and the areas of Karamoja, Lango, Teso and West Nile sub-regions, whose main point of referral is Lacor Hospital. Currently, a patient spends up to 1.5 million Shillings to hire ambulance services from Gulu to Kampala to access CT scan services. “Patients are sometimes forced to travel over 300 kilometers to Kampala for a scan, delaying treatment and increasing the risk of complications,” Dr Ojok added.
 
In response to the ongoing struggle, Gulu City Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Betty Aol Ocan, pledged to remind President of his commitment.
 
“The people of Northern Uganda deserve access to modern healthcare services, I will personally follow up with the President to ensure this pledge does not remain a mere promise,” sain Hon Aol.
 
Other stakeholders have joined the call for government intervention. Rwot Yusuf Okwonga Adek of Pageya Clan, said the lack of a CT scan is unacceptable for a major regional hospital.
 
“Lacor Hospital serves thousands of patients from Northern Uganda and even neighboring regions. It is unacceptable that in 2025, people still have to travel long distances or risk going without critical scans because of a lack of equipment,” said Rwot Yusuf.
 
Despite the challenges, Lacor Hospital remains committed to pursuing its fundraising initiatives.
 
Dr. Martin Ogwang the hospital institutional director confirmed that the hospital would continue lobbying from both the government and private donors to raise the remaining funds. “We are not giving up, this scanner is not a luxury-it’s a necessity for saving lives,” he said.
Hospital administrators are calling on development partners, corporate organizations, and individuals of goodwill to support the fundraising. They emphasize that investing in the CT Scan would not only improve healthcare outcomes but also reduce the financial burden on patients forced to seek services elsewhere.
 
St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, established in 1959, has grown into one of Northern Uganda’s leading healthcare institutions, offering services to thousands of patients annually and training numerus medical professionals. The lack of a CT scan, officials say, remains a major gap in its capacity to deliver modern, quality and affordable health services.
 
The government of Uganda installed CT scanners in 14 out of 16 Regional Referral Hospitals including Arua, Entebbe, Fort Portal, Gulu, Hoima, Jinja, Kabale, Lira, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Mubende, Mbarara and Soroti. This signals substantial expansion of CT scanning capacity at the public regional level, down from Zero scanners in some regions just a few years ago.
 
Uganda’s current network of CT scanners remains below WHO-recommended levels, with less than 15% of hospitals equipped. Heavy concentration in Kampala-based private facilities leaves many public districts underserved.