CHILDREN’S HEALTH AT MENGO HOSPITAL
Mengo Hospital Partners (MHP) works directly with Mengo Hospital to deliver transformative pediatric care & improve child health in Uganda. Together, we’re advancing a long-term campus expansion plan dedicated to children & their families to expand access to routine & specialized care.
Through a three-phased approach, MHP & Mengo Hospital is laying the foundation for a comprehensive pediatric care model that can diagnose, treat & support children with both common & complex illnesses, while strengthening the overall future of child health in Uganda.
SUPPORTING MENGO HOSPITAL
Founded in 1897 by Sir Albert Ruskin Cook, Mengo Hospital is the oldest hospital in East Africa & has served the people of Kampala for decades. From its earliest days, the hospital has been committed to caring for underserved communities, addressing both physical & spiritual needs.
Located on Namirembe Hill in Kampala’s Rubaga Division, just two kilometers from the city’s central business district, Mengo Hospital serves patients from across the capital & surrounding districts, plus neighboring countries in East Africa, including South Sudan, Kenya & Rwanda.
Today, Mengo Hospital is a vital urban community hospital & recognized center for teaching, research & referral care. With more than 300 beds, the hospital provides around-the-clock services & manages about 250,000 outpatient visits & 15,000 inpatient admissions, yearly. As a cornerstone of Kampala’s healthcare system, its impact is immense.
Despite its scale & legacy, Mengo Hospital faces significant challenges. Demand for care continues to outpace available space, equipment & specialized services, particularly for children. Sustained investment is essential for the hospital to meet international standards of care & continue serving the region’s most vulnerable populations.
SUPPORTING MENGO HOSPITAL
MENGO HOSPITAL
Founded in 1897 by Sir Albert Ruskin Cook, Mengo Hospital is the oldest hospital in East Africa & has served the people of Kampala for decades. From its earliest days, the hospital has been committed to caring for underserved communities, addressing both physical & spiritual needs.
Located on Namirembe Hill in Kampala’s Rubaga Division, just two kilometers from the city’s central business district, Mengo Hospital serves patients from across the capital & surrounding districts, plus neighboring countries in East Africa, including South Sudan, Kenya & Rwanda.
Today, Mengo Hospital is a vital urban community hospital & recognized center for teaching, research & referral care. With more than 300 beds, the hospital provides around-the-clock services & manages about 250,000 outpatient visits & 15,000 inpatient admissions, yearly. As a cornerstone of Kampala’s healthcare system, its impact is immense.
Despite its scale & legacy, Mengo Hospital faces significant challenges. Demand for care continues to outpace available space, equipment & specialized services, particularly for children. Sustained investment is essential for the hospital to meet international standards of care & continue serving the region’s most vulnerable populations.
PHASE 1: CHILD CARE CENTER
Women make up approximately 67% of the global healthcare workforce, while Uganda is already experiencing acute staffing shortages. At Mengo Hospital, the challenge is compounded by limited childcare options.
Too often, skilled female healthcare workers are forced to leave the workforce after becoming mothers, creating gaps that are difficult to fill & placing additional strain on an already overstretched system.
The first step in Mengo Hospital’s pediatric expansion focuses on those who make care possible every day: its healthcare workers. Thanks to generous donors like yourself, Phase 1 established a dedicated Child Care Center to support hospital staff, particularly new mothers, by providing safe, on-site childcare for infants.
Current Status: Nearly completed (as of December 2025)
Why It Matters: By offering trusted, on-site childcare for staff members’ infants, the hospital can better retain experienced healthcare professionals, strengthen workforce stability & ensure continuity of care for patients.
Read more about the recent soft opening of the Child Care Center on our blog.
PHASE 2: PEDIATRICS & OUTPATIENT BUILDING
The most significant phase of the expansion focuses on building a new Pediatrics & Outpatient Building to transform Mengo Hospital’s small pediatric unit into a fully integrated Pediatrics Department. By doing so, it will be the first & only ICU in the region & will help dramatically expand both inpatient & outpatient services for children & their families.
The Pediatrics Department will increase pediatric capacity to 4x its current size & introduce dedicated clinics for immunization, nutrition, neurodiversity & mental health. By providing comprehensive support beyond acute illness, the building will include a new emergency ward, radiology services & expanded outpatient space to support coordinated care for both children & adults.
At the heart of this effort is critical care capacity. By significantly expanding intensive & emergency care, we’ll help improve infant & child survival rates, while better manage preventable chronic & complex conditions. The new facility will include 40 neonatal & pediatric intensive care beds, updated neonatal services & two operating theaters, addressing one of the most urgent gaps in pediatric care in Uganda.
Current Status: In progress (as of January 2026)
Why It Matters: By expanding critical care, emergency services & specialized clinics, Mengo Hospital’s ability to diagnose, treat & support children with both routine & complex medical needs increases greatly.
PHASE 3: PEDIATRIC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
The final phase of the expansion envisions the creation of a Pediatric Center of Excellence, a transformative step in pediatric care for children in Kampala & across the region. This phase brings together the full continuum of pediatric services within a single, purpose-built facility, establishing a centralized home for comprehensive child health care.
The Pediatric Center of Excellence will integrate general pediatrics with critical subspecialty services, including cardiology & nephrology, enabling earlier diagnosis & coordinated treatment for complex conditions.
Designed with long-term sustainability in mind, the Center will also serve as a hub for training future pediatricians & nurses, strengthening the pediatric workforce and expanding access to specialized care for years to come.
Current Status: Planned (future phase)
Why It Matters: By consolidating pediatric expertise, advanced care & professional training in one center, this phase represents a lasting investment in the future of child health in Uganda. It will elevate standards of care, build local medical capacity & ensure that more children can receive the specialized treatment they need, close to home.
