TMR Hospital has refuted allegations that it withheld the body of a child who died after sustaining severe injuries in a fall at Greenhill Academy, reportedly over an unpaid medical bill.
Dr. Daniel Talemwa, the hospital’s Executive Director, said the facility never retained the body and emphasized that the child had remained under close monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) until he passed away.
Dr. Talemwa, who personally participated in the evacuation, said the boy arrived in critical condition and required highly specialised ICU care. He noted that the hospital’s ICU rates range between two and four million Shillings per day, with higher charges applying to patients needing advanced interventions such as dialysis.
While some reports suggested a bill of up to Shs150 million, Dr. Talemwa clarified that the actual figure is significantly lower and that the hospital had been working closely with the family throughout.
“When the story about detaining the body came out on Friday morning, I was actually seated with the father discussing what support they needed. He was equally surprised. We had already drafted a payment plan running until March 2026,” he said.
Family Struggles, Community Support
The child’s father, Mr. Kenneth Nsubuga Ssebagayunga, a lawyer and Democratic Party (DP) politician contesting for Mukono North, said he was initially informed of the accident while preparing his nomination documents in Kampala. “The way they informed me on phone, it sounded like a small manageable issue because they did not give details. But my heart was not fine. When I reached the facility, I failed to recognise my child. He was unconscious and bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears,” he said.
After first being admitted at C-Care Clinic Kireka, the boy was transferred to TMR, where he spent 21 days in the ICU. “They acted so fast to stabilise him and carried out surgeries. We kept counting the days, hoping he would get better. Unfortunately, he passed on,” Mr. Nsubuga said.
He revealed he had an outstanding hospital bill of Shs65 million before the body could be released. The Democratic Party community settled the balance. “We have spent a lot, but I thank everyone who stood by us, including the parents of Greenhill who contributed UGX Shs20 million, and the school, which supported us with over UGX Shs20 million,” he said.
DP President Nobert Mao visited the family, offering condolences and pledging continued support. He contributed Shs7 million personally, while the party added another Shs4 million towards burial expenses.
The child’s grandfather, Mr. Godfrey Mementeleka, described Semakula as “a polite, kind, brilliant child who was active and calm both at home and at school.” “We have lost a bright child who associated with everyone,” he said.
Augustine Israel Semakula Kizito, a Primary Six pupil at Greenhill Academy, was laid to rest yesterday at the family home in Kabembe, Nama Sub-county, Mukono District. He died on November 12 after falling from the second floor at school. It remains unclear how he fell, as the school has not provided a detailed explanation. In a brief statement, Greenhill only dismissed what it called misleading information about hospital bills circulating on social media.
Industry Context
Grace Kiwanuka, Executive Director of the Uganda Healthcare Federation (UHF), said the federation contacted TMR and confirmed that the case had been handled professionally. She noted that intensive care is costly worldwide due to the nature of medicines, technologies and 24-hour specialist care involved.
“In private hospitals today, ICU care ranges between UGX 4-6 million Shillings per day, depending on complexity,” she said. Even public hospitals, she added, incur high costs, with a Ministry of Health analysis from the COVID-19 period estimating ICU care at 3.2 million Shillings per day in National Referral Hospitals.
Legal View
Health-rights advocates maintain that detaining bodies over unpaid bills is illegal. Ruth Ajalo, head of the Strategic Litigation Programme at the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), said courts have consistently ruled against the practice, advising hospitals to pursue civil remedies or clear payment plans instead.
CEHURD handled a similar case at TMR during the COVID-19 period, which was resolved through an agreed payment plan.
In this case, Dr. Talemwa confirmed that an agreement has been signed and the family is committed to clearing the outstanding balance by March.
