LIRA, Uganda — More than 1,000 patients pass through the outpatient department at Lira Regional Referral Hospital each day, overwhelming the facility’s infrastructure and prompting renewed calls for a new ward complex and expanded specialized services.
The pressure is particularly acute in the maternity ward, where limited space has forced the hospital to extend some services into temporary tents.
Dr. Andrew Odur, senior executive consultant at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, said a proposed maternal ward complex would provide more space and improve the quality and dignity of care for mothers and newborns.
But he said expanding the referral hospital alone will not solve the problem. More patients need to receive care closer to their communities.
“As a regional referral, we will be working very closely with the Ministry of Health to ensure that we decongest the regional referral by making sure that the lower health facilities are functional,” Odur said.
Dr. Bernard Otucu, Lira City district health officer, supported the call to strengthen lower-level facilities, saying functional Health Centre IVs would allow more patients to receive treatment closer to home and reduce unnecessary referrals to the regional hospital.
Otucu cited delays in completing construction at Ober Health Centre IV in Lira City West Division, saying the facility could help ease pressure on Lira Regional Referral Hospital once it becomes fully operational.
The hospital is also seeking additional dialysis machines as demand for kidney care continues to grow across the Lango sub-region.
Odur said the hospital’s current dialysis capacity is insufficient, leaving some patients waiting for treatment.
Lira Regional Referral Hospital established its dialysis unit in early 2023 under a Ministry of Health programme to decentralize haemodialysis services to regional referral hospitals.
The unit has allowed patients from Lango and other parts of northern Uganda to access kidney treatment closer to home rather than travelling to Kampala.
Hospital officials say continued investment in wards, specialized equipment and lower-level health facilities will be critical to keeping pace with the region’s growing demand for health services.
