Published on 12/06/2024
Legislators on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recently questioned officials from Mulago Hospital regarding the state of their medical equipment. This inquiry followed a report by the Auditor General in December 2023, which revealed that the hospital had 86 non-functional machines.
The report highlighted that the use of these faulty machines could lead to incorrect diagnoses, inappropriate prescriptions, or even fatalities.

Key Findings from the Auditor General’s Report
- 86 pieces of medical equipment at Mulago Hospital were non-functional.
- 24 machines were operational but required repairs, replacements, or servicing.
- The hospital had 607 fully functional pieces of medical equipment.
Concerns Raised by MPs
Butambala County MP Muwanga Kivumbi expressed concern over the hospital’s failure to dispose of obsolete equipment, emphasizing the risk of incorrect medical outcomes and potential fatalities.
“Can you believe that obsolete or non-serviced medical equipment may give wrong results leading to inappropriate prescriptions and drug resistance or fatalities in a referral hospital?” Kivumbi remarked. He stressed that non-functional equipment should be put out of action to prevent such risks.
Hospital’s Response
Rosemary Byanyima, Executive Director of Mulago Hospital, acknowledged the Auditor General’s concerns but attributed the issue to insufficient budget allocations for maintenance. She noted that out of the requested Shillings 13 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year, only Shillings 4.9 billion was provided, leaving a deficit of Shillings 8.8 billion. Byanyima assured the committee that non-functional equipment is not used for patient assessments.
“We don’t use non-functional equipment when assessing patients. If equipment malfunctions, our biomedical engineers assess and repair it if possible,” Byanyima explained.
Additional Queries from MPs
Sarah Opendi, the Tororo District Woman Representative requested a detailed list of the non-functional equipment to better understand their relevance and condition.
Revenue Collection Concerns
MPs also raised concerns about Mulago Hospital’s revenue collection practices. They questioned the hospital’s practice of charging patients for parking, which many viewed as an added burden on taxpayers who already face constant drug stockouts. The audit report indicated that in 2022/2023, Mulago Hospital collected Shillings 5.331 billion in revenue against a target of Shillings 3.868 billion but failed to provide a breakdown of these revenue sources.
Kivumbi and Susan Amero, the Amuria District Woman Representative both confirmed having paid for parking at the hospital. Amero criticized the hospital for not having a clear breakdown of their Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) sources, which was a key issue raised in the audit report.
“You are right, parking isn’t for free. I have personally paid money here. If the Accountant says they don’t have a breakdown of NTR, why are we here? We expected that you would have everything ready knowing we were coming,” Amero stated.
Conclusion
The PAC continues to scrutinize Mulago Hospital’s handling of medical equipment and revenue collection to ensure transparency and accountability, while addressing the concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report.