Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) was established as an autonomous body by an Act of Parliament (The Uganda Heart Institute ACT, 2016). The Institute is now a super specialized leading provider of cardiovascular services and the only National Referral Facility for heart diseases in Uganda.

Currently, UHI, using a modest investment and an enabling legal framework has trained cardiac super specialists and installed a state of the Art Cardiac catheterization laboratory and operating theatre which have enabled them to conduct ground breaking heart surgeries and interventions of World-Class.

Uganda Heart Institute handles over 20,000 patients annually. The Institute started carrying out Open Heart Surgery in 2007 and to-date; over 7000 heart operations have been performed. This in effect means the Uganda Heart Institute can comprehensively handle over 95% of the adult cases and 85% of the cases among children in Uganda. This is in line with the NDP2 strategy of reducing referrals abroad to less than 5%.

In order to improve access to heart care, UHI is developing capacity to operationalize Regional centers in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Regional Referral Hospitals. The Institute is partnering with various Stakeholders including Civil society, to promote health through advocating for a healthy lifestyle.

The preventive programs are being addressed through a multi- sectoral approach with the Ministry of Health and other local and international partners.

What Uganda Heart Institute needs now is more working space and lager operational budgets to enable it fulfill its mandate.