Mr Simon Kisabagirye, the principal hospital administrator, said they had planned to rehabilitate the medical ward (ward three) with a new roof but halted the process upon consultation with the municipal council engineers.
Mr Kisabagirye added that the hospital management halted the works, pending consultations from the Ministry of Health and verification by the chief engineer, who is yet to be sent from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
"We cannot bank our hopes in only the municipal engineers but we have also written to the Ministry seeking their opinion because the regional referral hospital is under the supervision of central government and it's only the chief engineer from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development that can give final condemnation," Mr Kisabagirye said.
The Soroti municipal engineer, Mr Alex Oriekot, said: "I have always had some reservations [about issues of the hospital], I want you to get information from the hospital because I made my recommendations and they have everything."
The hospital director, Dr Michael Mwanga, said they would return the money to the consolidated fund if their plan to rehabilitate the medical ward fails.
