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Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital has cemented its status as one of Uganda’s top-performing health facilities after securing second place in the Ministry of Health Performance Awards for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The recognition falls under the category of Top Performing Regional Referral and Large PNFP Hospitals, acknowledging the hospital’s consistent excellence in healthcare delivery, innovation, and adherence to national health standards.

The award was presented on Wednesday at Speke Resort Munyonyo during a ceremony honoring hospitals that demonstrated exemplary performance across critical health indicators, including patient care, service efficiency, innovation, and quality assurance.

“We based our assessment on clear performance indicators, and Fort Portal RRH excelled in several critical areas,” said Dr. Charles Olala, Director General of Health Services.

Hospital administrators praised the award as a testament to teamwork and dedication. Dr. Archibald Bahiza Newton, FRRH Director, highlighted improvements in maternal health, emergency response, and disease prevention.

“Our staff have gone above and beyond, and this recognition motivates us to continue improving services,” Dr. Bahiza said.

Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, commended the hospital for its outstanding performance. “Achievements like this set a benchmark for all health facilities in Uganda. We encourage other hospitals to emulate Fort Portal’s commitment and innovations,” she noted.

The accolade underscores Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital’s role as a national leader in healthcare provision. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its capacity, introduced new technologies, and invested in staff training to enhance patient care.

“This award is not just a celebration of past achievements; it is a call to do even more for our patients. We remain committed to transforming healthcare delivery for all the people we serve,” Dr. Bahiza added.

Efforts to address the growing challenge of plastic waste in Fort Portal City have received a boost following the launch of a new PET collection centre aimed at strengthening recycling and promoting responsible waste management.

The facility, established through a partnership between Crown Beverages Limited and WastePays, is expected to improve plastic waste collection while creating income opportunities for local waste collectors.

Environment officials in Fort Portal City say the city is increasingly struggling with poor waste disposal and limited capacity to manage some categories of waste, particularly plastics.

They warn that the rising volumes of plastic waste are overwhelming the existing waste management systems, posing a threat to both the environment and public health.

Speaking during the launch, Fort Portal City Environment Officer Gladess Mirembe said the city continues to face challenges in handling plastic waste due to inadequate disposal systems and limited infrastructure.

“Plastic waste remains one of the biggest challenges in Fort Portal City. The volumes we are receiving continue to increase, yet the systems we have for managing this waste are still limited. Facilities like this PET collection centre will help us improve plastic recovery and reduce environmental pollution,” Mirembe noted.

The new facility will serve as a structured collection point where plastic waste, particularly PET bottles, will be aggregated before being transported for recycling.

The Communications Manager at Crown Beverages Limited Elizabeth Pearl said the initiative is part of the company’s broader commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible plastic waste management.

“This PET collection centre is meant to strengthen structured plastic collection in Fort Portal and surrounding areas. By partnering with WastePays, we want to ensure that plastic waste is collected, sorted and recycled instead of ending up in the environment,” Pearl said.

She added that the project will also support communities by creating income opportunities for waste collectors who gather recyclable materials.

“We are also looking at empowering waste collectors and local communities. Plastic that was previously considered waste will now become a source of income while contributing to environmental conservation,” she added.

Officials involved in recycling say the centre will improve efficiency in plastic waste recovery and increase the volume of materials converted into reusable products.

Chief Executive Officer of Ecoplastile Franc Kamugisha said the partnership will help strengthen Uganda’s recycling ecosystem.

“This initiative will improve the efficiency of plastic waste collection and recycling. When plastics are properly collected, they can be transformed into valuable products such as construction materials, which helps reduce environmental pollution,” Kamugisha said.

Other centres are already operational in Gulu, Jinja, Hoima, and Kasese, forming part of Crown Beverages’ wider sustainability agenda to promote responsible plastic waste management across Uganda.

The expansion is expected to significantly reduce plastic pollution while supporting circular economy efforts in the Tooro and Rwenzori regions.

source : Nilepost

The Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, on Saturday joined hundreds of residents in the National Clean-Up Exercise, using the occasion to address long-standing sanitation and service delivery challenges in Fort Portal City.

The minister arrived at Mpanga Market at 7:30 a.m. before leading the clean-up team to Kabundaire Market, where he encountered large heaps of uncollected garbage.

Concerned by the poor state of sanitation, Balaam immediately directed city authorities to deploy all available waste management equipment from both Fort Portal City and Kabarole District to clear the accumulated waste without delay. He instructed officials to prioritize the exercise until all the garbage had been removed.

“Fort Portal is known as a tourism city. It cannot maintain that reputation while it is surrounded by mountains of garbage. Tourists come to experience a clean, attractive city, not poor sanitation,” Balaam said.

Following the directive, two tippers and road graders were dispatched to Kabundaire Market, where the waste removal exercise commenced immediately.

The minister later joined local leaders, residents, and schoolchildren in cleaning various parts of the city before returning to Mpanga Market, one of the largest government-owned markets in the Tooro sub-region.

At the market, hundreds of traders and residents raised concerns over persistent challenges affecting their livelihoods, including high taxes, poor sanitation, and inadequate service delivery.

In response, Balaam issued a series of directives aimed at addressing the grievances. He ordered investigations into allegations that some revenue collection contractors had been diverting public funds into personal accounts, warning that anyone found culpable would face arrest and prosecution.

He also directed city authorities to reopen closed market stalls to enable vendors to resume business, ordered investigations into contractors accused of carrying out substandard or “ghost” road works, and called for the inclusion of eligible market vendors in the Parish Development Model (PDM).

The National Clean-Up Exercise forms part of the government’s broader campaign to improve sanitation, promote environmental conservation, strengthen public health, and encourage civic responsibility across the country.

Source : Nilepost