The Ministry of Health has dismissed claims that it asked the government to deport UK investor, Samuel Leeds, who recently built a 64-bed modern ward in Jinja.
This week, Leeds announced on social media that he had finished the facility, which he completed in seven months at a cost of Shs1 billion.
On Thursday, Kampala Journal, via its X (formerly Twitter) account, reported that officials from the ministry had requested the government to deport Leeds.
"Officials at the Ministry of Health have appealed to Government to deport UK tourist Samuel Reeds who used just 1bn to construct a 64 ward hospital in a space of just seven months,'' the Kampala Journal posted on X.
Additionally, the local blog reported that the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Diana Atwiine, had criticized Leeds for assuming government responsibilities by building the infrastructure.
“I saw some Mzungu on Twitter bragging that he built a hospital. This is work for the government,” the Journal quoted Dr Atwiine as saying.
However, Dr Atwiine has taken to her official X account to refute the claims made by Kampala Journal, clarifying that the ministry was fully supportive of the hospital's construction.
"This is completely false and shameful reporting. Contrary to reports, Ministry of Health was fully involved in the entire process of building this facility, from the initial planning to providing all necessary approvals. We always appreciate any support to the health sector," Atwiine stated.
Furthermore, Samuel Leeds, the investor behind the facility, also labeled Kampala Journal's post as fake and misleading.
He rejected the platform's assertions that the ministry did not support the project, stating that government officials were fully in support and provided all necessary planning approvals.
"Fake news. The Ministry of Health and government officials were completely behind the project and granted all the required planning permissions. The Deputy Prime Minister even joined me in cutting the ribbon on the day the hospital ward was inaugurated," Leeds wrote on his X account.
"The Ugandan government has been incredibly supportive, and I have been working on these projects with their endorsement," he added.
This comes just hours after Next Media and various stakeholders launched a nationwide campaign called #DisMisFakeNews, aimed at combating the spread of false information, particularly on social media.
During the campaign launch, stakeholders, including Next Media Group CEO Kin Kariisa, expressed concerns that misinformation could pose risks to the community, potentially lead to diplomatic issues, jeopardize national security, and deter investors or tourists.
With over 20,000 followers on X, Leeds, as a person of solid financial standing, could potentially attract his followers and additional support from those motivated by his actions to contribute to health and other sectors.
However, misleading information, like that shared by Kampala Journal, could mislead unsuspecting consumers of content and discourage them from participating in the initiative, underscoring the urgent need to combat fake news.