Land is an important factor of production and a common reserve of financial value that keeps appreciating over time. Yet, hospitals in many developing countries do not manage their land as if it was that important. As a result, hospital land is encroached upon, used for activities that degrade its value and is often grabbed by neighbours. This study done in S.E. Uganda aimed to find out the management of hospital land in six hospitals, three of which belonged to the government. In a framework where the existing national land laws favour encroachment by long-term squatters, it found that the hospital managers had no guidelines, supervision or request for accountability on hospital land. They did not have documentation on site of the hospital land, and did not know the size or boundaries of their land. Some assumed hospital land to be managed by higher offices like the Diocesan authorities (for church hospitals) or Ministry of Health or Uganda Land Commission (for the government hospitals). Hospital land was not surveyed and had no Land Titles. District Land Boards for managing government land were non-existent or non-functional where they existed.
The study concludes that hospital land is at great risk of encroachment which will render future developments impossible or very costly due to the eviction of legally-protected encroachers. It recommends, among other actions, that higher authorities like the Dioceses and the Ministry of Health include the management of hospital land among the activities to be done by hospital managers right from the time of appointment. It also recommends that this aspect be considered a Key Performance Area for them during supervision and evaluation.
