Case Hospital marks 30 years of excellence — a three-decade journey from clinic to Kampala landmark
KAMPALA /UGANDA. Case Hospital — known formally as Case Medical Centre — this October 2025 celebrated 30 years of service to Ugandans, marking three decades of steady expansion from a small clinic on Bombo Road into one of Kampala’s better-known private tertiary hospitals.
The anniversary events — held in Kampala and attended by hospital management, staff, partners and several high-profile guests — showcased the hospital’s growth in clinical capacity, digital initiatives and patient-focused services while laying out plans to invest in new technologies including artificial intelligence for diagnostics and service delivery.
A founder’s vision turned into a hospital Case Hospital began in 1995 as a modest clinic founded by Dr. A.K. (Kato) Ssebaale. Over the years it has expanded into a multi-storey facility on Buganda Road offering a wide range of services, from emergency care and operating theatres to neonatal services and intensive care — a transformation hospital leaders described as the fulfillment of a long-held vision to create an upscale, patient-centred facility in the city.
“At the start, we were a small operation with big hopes. Today we treat hundreds of patients every day and provide services that would have been unimaginable three decades ago,” said Ronald Akankwasa, Chief Operating Officer, during the anniversary programme. Akankwasa highlighted the hospital’s growth in infrastructure, its network of satellite clinics and the launch of non-clinical services such as medical insurance for corporate and individual clients.
Celebration and a call to innovate The anniversary programme combined formal remarks with exhibitions of the hospital’s clinical achievements and future plans. Guests — including political and business leaders who praised the institution for its contributions to Uganda’s private health sector — encouraged Case Hospital to extend services beyond Kampala and to partner with academic and research institutions to accelerate innovation. Reports of the celebrations also note calls from elected officials for greater rural outreach and the leveraging of digital tools to improve access and speed of care.
Hospital management used the milestone to announce new initiatives aimed at improving patient experience and access. Those announcements included a loyalty/rewards scheme to benefit repeat and cash-paying clients, expansion of satellite clinics, and the stated intention to pilot AI-assisted diagnostics to shorten turnaround times and improve clinical decision-making. The loyalty card and associated benefits were promoted across the hospital’s social accounts as part of the 30-year campaign.
Quality, partnerships and the next 30 years Case leaders also underscored the hospital’s focus on maintaining standards and quality, pointing to accreditation and investments in specialized units — such as intensive care and neonatal services — as reasons for the facility’s steady patient volumes. Management said the coming phase will emphasize technology, specialization (including fertility and cardiac care) and deeper corporate and community partnerships to broaden service reach.
“We are proud of what Case Hospital has become, but our ambition is to build on this foundation so that the next generation benefits from even more accessible, high-quality care,” Dr. Ssebaale told guests during the anniversary events (as reported by local media).
Why this matters Private hospitals like Case play an important role in Uganda’s mixed health system, providing capacity and services that complement public facilities. The hospital’s model — combining direct patient services with insurance products and outreach clinics — reflects a trend among urban private providers to diversify revenue and expand access for employed and middle-income patients while exploring technology solutions that could improve efficiency. Observers say such private sector investment is a notable component of Uganda’s broader efforts to raise standards of care and reduce out-of-pocket burdens for many households.
What to watch next . Hospital management says the coming months will see pilots of AI diagnostic tools, expansion of the loyalty card scheme and the opening of additional satellite clinics. They also plan to intensify staff training and pursue partnerships with universities and research centres to support clinical innovation and evidence-based practice.
