By Johnson Kanyesige
Hoima Regional Referral Hospital is stepping up preparations to handle the expected increase in patients and emergencies during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), even as Parliament raises concerns over a major shortage of health workers.
The hospital’s acting director, Dr Ibrahim Bwaga, told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee-PAC Central Committee on Tuesday that infrastructure and specialised services were being expanded ahead of the continental football tournament, which Uganda will co-host.
Bwaga was briefing the committee as MPs assessed whether the hospital would have sufficient capacity to handle the anticipated increase in visitors, athletes, officials and residents during AFCON. The committee was chaired by Mbale Industrial Division MP Karim Masaba, who had been delegated to lead the proceedings in the absence of the chairperson and vice chairperson.
Bwaga said Hoima Regional Referral Hospital serves a large catchment area covering nine administrative districts, including Hoima District and City, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Kibaale, Buliisa, Masindi and Kiryandongo, among others. He said the hospital and the wider Bunyoro region are undergoing major infrastructure and service improvements, partly linked to preparations for AFCON and developments in the oil and gas sector.
A long-awaited maternal and child health complex is being converted into an Accident and Emergency facility, with construction by the UPDF Engineering Brigade expected to be completed in December. Other health facilities in the region are also being upgraded, including the upgrade of Buseruka Health Centre III to a Health Centre IV.
Masindi Hospital has also undergone infrastructure improvements aimed at bringing the facility closer to modern standards. Hoima Regional Referral Hospital has acquired a regional blood bank, commissioned last year, as well as a new oxygen plant. The hospital has also introduced intensive care and dialysis services.
Bwaga described the start of dialysis services as a major milestone, saying patients from the region no longer have to travel to Kampala for treatment. “For the last seven months, we don’t send patients to Kampala anymore for dialysis,” he told the committee.
However, MPs questioned whether the improved infrastructure is matched by sufficient specialised personnel, particularly for handling mass casualties during AFCON. The hospital has 12 ICU beds and four additional VIP beds. Bwaga said 12 critical-care nurses are already in place after receiving specialised training in Lagos, Nigeria.
The hospital, however, currently has only one intensivist against an establishment of three. Bwaga said the Health Service Commission is conducting interviews to recruit the remaining two specialists. The staffing gap extends beyond the ICU.
