Tororo Hospital could become regional specialised centre
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Nile Post
Tororo Main Hospital could be transformed into a regional referral facility to bring specialised care closer to residents of Uganda’s Bukedi region. The project faces shortages of land, staff and equipment, while patients are still referred to Mbale or Jinja, according to Nile Post.
Plans to transform Tororo Main Hospital in Uganda into a regional referral hospital could bring specialised care closer to patients in the Bukedi sub-region. However, staff shortages, inadequate diagnostic equipment and limited space remain obstacles, reports Nile Post.
Built in 1938 with about 200 beds, the facility receives patients from several districts and neighbouring areas of Kenya. Tororo Mayor Benard Ochieng believes this influx is putting pressure on its capacity. Patients needing care unavailable locally are often sent to Mbale or Jinja, increasing their transport, food and sometimes accommodation costs.
Godfrey Othieno, a local official of the National Resistance Movement, recounted that an accident victim died while being transferred to Mbale for a scan after a three-hour delay. Healthcare workers cite a shortage of specialists and equipment, particularly X-ray and scanning equipment, among the reasons for the transfers. Rubanda Hospital, also in Uganda, has recently faced an influx of patients and a shortage of beds, according to a previous report.
