Soroti Hospital Power Crisis Puts Patients at Risk as Ageing Infrastructure Struggles

What the report says

Frequent electricity failures at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital in eastern Uganda are disrupting services in key departments and raising concerns about patient safety, according to The Nile Post. The hospital’s administrators say the problem is linked to ageing infrastructure that can no longer support the facility’s current power demands, especially after new heavy medical equipment supplied by the Japan International Cooperation Agency arrived between November and January.

Principal Hospital Administrator Benzy Omoya said outages, short circuits and burned cables have affected the theatre, maternity ward, neonatal intensive care unit and other critical areas. He said the hospital sometimes had to refer operations to nearby Diana Health Centre IV when power failed. Technical checks by the Uganda Electricity Distribution and Supply Company Limited and Soroti University’s electrical engineering team reportedly found that the main supply is insufficient for the installed equipment.

The hospital has introduced temporary measures, including separating power lines for some units, but officials say this is not a lasting fix. Omoya warned that the old powerhouse, wiring and broader electrical system need major rehabilitation, while stakeholders also cited poor lighting in maternity services and the risk of harm to mothers and babies. The hospital, established in the 1930s, also faces other maintenance problems such as ageing roofs, sewerage and water supply challenges.

The issue matters because Soroti Regional Referral Hospital serves a large catchment area, estimated by management at 2.7 million to 2.8 million people. The report adds that patient care continues, but staff say service delivery is under strain until wider repairs are made.