Ageing Soroti Hospital needs urgent replacement

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reported that Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is under heavy strain from ageing infrastructure, staffing shortages, limited equipment and crowded departments, prompting lawmakers to push for a new regional referral and teaching hospital. The concerns were raised on September 9 during an inspection by Parliament’s Health Committee, which said conditions in areas such as maternity, casualty, emergency, wards and theatre were not suitable for a major referral facility serving the wider Teso sub-region.

According to the report, hospital officials told the committee that the facility’s theatre and maternity units are too small for the patient load, while staffing remains far below approved levels. Executive Director Dr Watmon Benedict said the hospital has 283 staff, about 23 percent of the approved establishment, and only 15 specialists. He also highlighted ageing electrical wiring and safety risks, including a past electrocution incident, and said engineers and UEDCL had recommended a full overhaul.

The committee, led by chairperson Dr Monday Julius Rude, said piecemeal repairs would not solve the hospital’s problems and supported plans for a modern replacement. The report said a possible site of 50 acres at Soroti University has been offered for the project, with the Ministry of Health said to be interested and development partners such as JICA mentioned as potential supporters. Officials also raised concerns about understaffed lower-level health centres, power interruptions, non-functional equipment and pending pension and gratuity arrears.

The report says the committee referred allegations of extortion linked to post-mortem services for investigation and called for stronger oversight of health facilities in Soroti. As general context, Uganda’s regional referral hospitals typically serve large catchment areas and depend on adequate staffing, equipment and infrastructure to reduce congestion at lower-level facilities.