Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Lacks Its Own Mortuary, Relies on Small MUST Facility

What the report says

Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital is operating without its own mortuary and is depending on a small, ageing pathology mortuary at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, according to Nile Post. The arrangement is straining the facility, which was built when the university was founded and now has limited cold-storage space and worn-out equipment.

The hospital’s acting director, Dr Deus Twesigye, said the university-run mortuary is used for bodies from the hospital as well as from across western Uganda, including accident victims and other deaths referred from the region. He said repeated attempts to repair the facility have not kept pace with the damage, leaving the mortuary unable to cope with current demand.

The issue drew attention during a joint inspection led by Dr Warren Naamara of the State House Health Monitoring Unit, who raised concerns about the smell around the premises and the lack of dedicated mortuary infrastructure for both the hospital and Mbarara City. He said the current setup poses dignity, hygiene and public-health concerns, while also creating pressure on grieving families.

The report says officials are now urging Mbarara City Council and hospital leaders to prioritize a modern city mortuary and upgrades to the existing facility. More broadly, the case highlights gaps in mortuary services in a growing regional center, where deaths from roads, communities and hospital wards are being handled in one overloaded site.