President yoweri Museveni has today (October 26, 2017), commissioned the Iran-Uganda Health Centre located near Police Headquarters in Naguru, a Kampala suburb.

The hospital was an offer from the Iranian Red Crescent (Red Cross) in 2007 and the foundation stone was laid in 2010.

The Uganda Police gave land for the construction of the clinic and cleared the construction material sent from Iran while the Iranian government met the cost of construction.

Modern equipment and drugs were procured and sent to Uganda by the Association of Muslim Physicians without Borders and Uganda Police cleared them from customs.

“I want to start by thanking the Islamic Republic of Iran for this gift of a high tech healthy center, it will help deal with health issues of the police personnel, and other people outside the force,” Museveni noted while opening the state of art health facility officially.

“I also want to thank Gen.Kale Kayihura and the Police for following, implementing and actualizing this gift from Iran, because sometimes such gifts are offered but are not taken up,” Museveni added.

The President also thanked the Islamic Movement that brought Iran closer to Africa than was the case before and pledged for more cooperation with countries in the Gulf.

In his address, Hon. Dr. Mohammed Zavad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iran thanked the Museveni for accepting to honor the commissioning of the first phase of continued cooperation between Uganda and Iran.

“We hope that this medical center which represents the best of Iranian technology, will be the beginning of a brand cooperation,” said Dr. Mohammed Zavad Zarif, adding that future cooperation will be in the areas of Oil and Gas, Science and Technology, Banking and Investment opportunities.

Police Chief Gen. Kale Kayihura in his remarks, noted that the hospital is a very significant event not just as a monument of the cooperation, between two countries, but also a value addition to the health care of police officers and their families plus the people of Uganda.

“This is the first facility, with the best medical technology, as well as medical personnel in Uganda and we are proud that it’s the Uganda Police Force hosting such a great facility,” said Kayihura.

He added that after this first phase, the next in line in the memorandum of understanding with Islamic Republic of Iran, will be construction of a 500 bed hospital.

The medical center is going to be managed by the Association of Muslim Physicians without Borders.