The new hospital, located in Kicukiro District, has already been completed. Built by China's Shanghai Construction Group Co. Ltd, the project cost 580 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to more than Rwf124 billion.

The move will almost double CHUK's capacity, increasing the number of beds from the current 453 to 837.

The facility is designed to deliver highly specialized healthcare, featuring 18 operating theatres, excluding those dedicated to Caesarean sections, as well as modern medical equipment, including four X-ray machines, two angiography systems, MRI technology, advanced radiology facilities, and other state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment equipment.

Appearing before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on July 2, 2026, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Jean Marie Vianney Ndayizigiye, said Kibagabaga Hospital would help absorb some of the patients who currently seek treatment at CHUK once the relocation is completed.

Although the new hospital is nearly twice the size of the existing facility, Ndayizigiye said the current CHUK site will continue operating as a major emergency care centre.

"The ICU, emergency services and the Trauma Center will remain there because it is located in the city centre, where road traffic accidents are common. The facility will continue to provide specialised care for critically injured patients," he said.

The new CHUK is part of a growing medical district in Masaka. Nearby is IRCAD Africa, a regional centre that trains surgeons in digestive cancer surgery, robotic-assisted procedures and minimally invasive techniques.

The area will also host a specialised heart hospital, while a centre dedicated to epidemic preparedness, infectious disease management and research is currently under construction.

Four health centres set for upgrade

To strengthen healthcare services around the new hospital, the Ministry of Health also plans to upgrade four health centres into medicalised facilities capable of providing advanced and emergency care.

Ndayizigiye said Busanza, Gatenga, Gahanga and Muyumbu health centres will be upgraded to ease pressure on Masaka Hospital, which already serves a large number of patients.

"Upgrading these health centres will allow them to provide higher-level medical services and reduce the burden currently borne by Masaka Hospital," he said.

He added that feasibility studies are expected to be completed during the 2026/27 financial year, paving the way for construction and expansion works.