By Mulengera Reporters
The Uganda Health Professions Assessment Board (UHPAB) has unveiled an ambitious Shs57 billion investment plan targeting infrastructure development, clinical training supervision and the modernization of health professionals’ assessment systems as the number of trainees across the country continues to grow.
Presenting the Board’s performance, funding requirements and future priorities before the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports chaired by Kibale County MP Hon. Cuthbert Abigaba, UHPAB Executive Secretary Helen Mukakarisa Kataratambi said the proposed investments were critical to strengthening the quality of health training and ensuring graduates acquire the practical competencies required to deliver quality healthcare services.
The presentation was made during the committee’s oversight engagement with the Board, which is mandated to assess and certify health professionals trained under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) framework. Watch full video recording of MPs’ visit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WssEhEWOjhU&t=297s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wkk7xemE3E
At the centre of UHPAB’s funding appeal is a Shs15.297 billion requirements to strengthen the monitoring of clinical placements and continuous practical assessment of students in health training institutions.
Kataratambi explained that the rapid increase in student enrolment and the expansion of health training institutions had created pressure on the available clinical placement facilities, particularly hospitals where trainees are expected to acquire hands-on experience.
She noted that hospitals have increasingly resorted to accommodating students in smaller groups and rotating them through clinical placements because of limited capacity, raising concerns about the adequacy of practical training.
“The hospitals are not increasing. Therefore, we have a problem of placing our students in the clinical area,” she told legislators.
She warned that without sufficient supervision and monitoring, students could complete their training without acquiring the practical skills needed to handle patients effectively.
“We don’t want to be treated by people who don’t have hands-on experience,” Kataratambi emphasized, making a case for increased funding to enable the Board to monitor students during their clinical placements.
The proposed Shs15.297 billion investment is intended to facilitate supervision of trainees, assess their practical competencies and ensure health training institutions comply with prescribed training and assessment standards.
Shs42bn Infrastructure and Technology Investment
Beyond clinical supervision, UHPAB is seeking to undertake major infrastructure and institutional development projects estimated at Shs42.283 billion.
The infrastructure project will involve the construction and equipping of office and assessment blocks on land allocated to the Board by the Ministry of Education and Sports at M891 Champo-Ohio.
The project profile has already been approved under the Human Capital Development Programme, with the Board seeking Shs10 billion in the 2027/2028 financial year to advance its implementation.
UHPAB also plans to invest Shs19.055 billion in instructional development to modernise its operational capacity through the acquisition of essential information and communication technology equipment, specialised clinical skills laboratory equipment and assessment transport.
The planned investments include 195 desktop computers, 75 laptops, 12 assessment vehicles comprising vans and pickups, 65 units of simulation laboratory equipment and upgrades to the Board’s ICT server infrastructure.
The investments are expected to strengthen the Board’s capacity to conduct assessments, support practical training and improve the efficiency of its operations across the country.
Shs6bn Required for Curriculum Development
The Board also raised concerns over inadequate funding for curriculum development and research, warning that the existing allocations could constrain its plans to review and introduce programmes that respond to the changing demands of the healthcare sector.
Kataratambi said UHPAB intends to review and roll out curricula for 12 programmes in the 2027/2028 financial year at an estimated cost of Shs500 million per programme.
However, the current allocation of Shs1.3 billion falls short of the estimated Shs6 billion requirement.
The Board further requires Shs2 billion to undertake research that will inform its assessment and curriculum development functions but has only Shs575 million available, leaving a funding gap of Shs1.425 billion.
She told the committee that adequate investment in curriculum development and research was essential to maintaining the quality, relevance and competitiveness of health training programmes.
Board Reports Progress in National Assessments
Despite the funding constraints, UHPAB reported significant progress since its establishment in June 2025, having conducted three national assessment series involving a reported total of 78,512 candidates.
The Board has also validated 233 assessment centres across the country, with recommendations communicated to the respective institutions to improve compliance with assessment standards.
In curriculum development, five health TVET programmes are undergoing validation. These include certificates in Mental Health Nursing, Medical Laboratory Techniques and Environmental Health Sciences, as well as diplomas in Pharmacy and Direct Midwifery.
Other achievements include the harmonisation of the grading system, the introduction of additional security features on award documents and the integration of management information systems inherited from former assessment boards.
The Board has also commissioned an online portal that enables trainees to track their assessment registration status, while the digitisation of records management processes is ongoing.
UHPAB Reports 92.6 Per Cent Staffing Capacity
On institutional capacity, Kataratambi informed legislators that the Board has an approved staff establishment of 188 positions, of which 174 have been filled, representing approximately 92.6 per cent staffing capacity.
She attributed the institution’s progress to teamwork and the dedication of its employees, noting that staff frequently work late into the night to meet demanding national assessment schedules.
For the 2026/2027 financial year, UHPAB has an approved budget of approximately Shs75.219 billion, financed mainly through government transfers and non-tax revenue generated from assessment, registration and certification fees.
Parliament’s Role in Strengthening Health Training
The engagement forms part of Parliament’s legislative monitoring and institutional oversight responsibilities, with the Committee on Education and Sports assessing the Board’s performance, resource requirements and contribution to the country’s human capital development agenda.
The committee’s interest also comes amid broader concerns about access to health training, candidate absenteeism and the financial challenges facing students undertaking allied health, nursing and midwifery programmes.
Parliamentary leaders have previously called for the expansion of student loan schemes and sponsorship opportunities to enable financially constrained trainees to complete their studies.
Established under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act No. 3 of 2025, UHPAB is responsible for assessing and certifying health professionals trained under the TVET framework.
The Board oversees 45 health TVET training programmes, comprising 31 allied health programmes and 14 nursing and direct midwifery programmes.
Kataratambi said UHPAB’s mandate is central to the country’s human capital development priorities, particularly the production of competent, ethical and skilled health professionals in line with the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).
She called for continued government and parliamentary support to enable the Board to implement its strategic priorities, strengthen assessment systems and ensure that Uganda’s growing number of health trainees graduate with the practical skills and professional competence required to serve the country. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
