The United States has delivered a $5.5 million mobile hospital to Uganda, enhancing the country’s ability to respond to humanitarian crises and peacekeeping needs in East Africa.
The 22-bed facility, equipped with dental and surgical suites, will aid Uganda’s military in rapid deployments to assist both military personnel and civilians.
The mobile hospital, which is the second of its kind provided by the US to Uganda, comes as part of a longstanding US-Uganda partnership, now in its 60th year. The first hospital played an essential role during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiding both military personnel and civilians in Uganda, according to the US Africa Command (Africom). “Thousands of lives were saved with the first facility, highlighting the importance of this continued support,” Africom added.
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To prepare for effective use of the new facility, soldiers from Uganda’s People’s Defence Force received specialized training at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capabilities Centre in Jinja. The training, held from October 14 to 29, covered setup, operation, and teardown of the hospital, ensuring Ugandan forces can mobilize it swiftly for emergencies.
In 2023, the US allocated nearly $1 billion to Uganda, with 3% dedicated to security, according to report Africom. However, two-thirds of this amount supported health programs, underscoring a US focus on humanitarian and healthcare initiatives. “Our partnership primarily benefits Ugandan citizens, with health initiatives front and center,” Africom noted, adding that other funds support peacekeeping and human rights training.
