Mulago Hospital has asked Parliament for an additional Shs63 billion to address critical funding gaps, as legislators warned that staffing shortages are worsening service delivery.
The MPs on the Health Committee blamed the gaps partly on underperformance in non-tax revenue collections in the financial year 2025/26.
Dr Erisa Rutahigwa, the acting committee chairperson and MP for Rukungiri Municipality, together with Dr George Didi Bhoka, MP for Obongi County, said the hospital collected only Shs4 billion against a projected Shs5 billion in the first half of the financial year.
“We are concerned about the under-collection of non-tax revenue. If more had been realised, it would have helped to address some of the staffing gaps,” Dr Didi said.
Dr Rosemary Byanyima, the executive director of Mulago, told the committee that the shortfall was caused by renovation works that affected revenue-generating services.
She said the hospital is targeting Shs10 billion in non-tax revenue in the 2026/27 financial year.
The MPs also raised concern over severe staffing shortages, with 1,017 positions vacant out of an approved structure of 2,344 jobs. Only 1,327 positions have been filled, representing 56.6 per cent staffing.
Among senior consultants, only 23 of 60 positions are filled. For consultants, 37 out of 90 posts are occupied, while associate consultants stand at 67 out of 157. Nursing remains under strain, with 653 staff in place out of 959 approved positions.
The gaps extend to other critical areas. Only 16 pharmacists are in post out of 45, while 89 allied health professionals have been recruited out of 167. The hospital also has 343 vacant administrative positions out of 645 approved roles.
Dr Byanyima said funding constraints have further strained operations. The hospital faces a Shs 96 billion gap in specialised supplies, having received only Shs 23 billion out of the required Shs 120 billion in the proposed budget.
Other shortfalls include Shs 6 billion for medical equipment, Shs 14 billion for maintenance of machinery, and limited funding for staff training, where only Shs 1 billion has been allocated against a requirement of Shs 5 billion.
Additional priorities such as staff housing, hospital fencing, transport equipment, patient meals and digital systems also remain underfunded.
Mulago, the country’s main referral hospital, handles complex cases from across Uganda, placing it under increasing pressure as resources lag behind demand.
