By Okumu Livingstone Langol
GULU CITY – WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2025
Tensions remain high between Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng and Gulu University Vice Chancellor Prof. George Openyjuru Ladaa over the long-awaited construction of a Regional Heart Center and a 324-bed specialized teaching hospital at Gulu University.
Prof. Openyjuru accuses Dr. Aceng of bypassing official procedure by sharing the project proposal via social media instead of formally delivering it to the University. He called the move a breach of protocol, saying the document should have been sent directly to the institution.
“The document was not sent to Gulu University directly but circulated through the media,” Prof. Openyjuru said. “We will present this matter to the Gulu University Council and escalate it to President Museveni for action.”
The dispute originates from a presidential directive for the Ministry of Health to work with the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General to sign an MoU with VAMED Engineering GmbH for the €155.2 million teaching hospital, to be funded under Germany’s Export Credit Agency.
Following a December 5, 2024, stakeholders’ meeting, Gulu University allocated five acres of land to the Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) for the Regional Heart Center. The allocation was confirmed in a letter dated January 6, 2025.
On June 30, 2025, Prof. Openyjuru urged the UHI Executive Director to follow up with the President to fast-track both projects. He expressed concern over the lack of official communication from the Ministry of Health regarding the hospital’s progress.
In November 2024, the University’s Chancellor and senior leadership met with the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss degazetting 93 hectares of Gulu Central Forest Reserve to make room for the hospital.
Prof. Openyjuru also accused the Minister of acting on personal vendetta, stressing that Gulu University had fulfilled its responsibilities by allocating land. The facility, he said, would benefit all of Northern Uganda.
The projects are part of Uganda’s strategy to become a regional medical tourism hub under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plans III and IV. The Uganda Heart Institute is already building its headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, at a cost of USD 75 million, and plans to set up four regional centers, including Gulu.
Repeated attempts to reach Dr. Aceng for comment were unsuccessful, and the Ministry of Health’s spokesperson was unavailable.
The delay has caused growing concern in the Acholi Sub-region, where leaders say modern healthcare infrastructure is urgently needed.
