By Johnson Kanyesige
Ahead of the 2027 AFCON games where some of them will be hosted at the Hoima City Stadium in Hoima City, calls are increasing to have the Hoima Regional Referral Hospital among other institutions to be prepared ahead of the activities where a high volume of people is expected to flock the City.
For the past three weeks, a team from the State House Health Monitoring Unit headed by the Assistant Director Dr Elijah Ssemaganda has been camped at the facility to unearth gaps in terms of service delivery and indeed there is a huge deficit in terms of spaces to position the facility for AFCON games.
Dr. Ssemaganda says the facility needs to have an improved and expanded accident and emergency unit to support save lives who are always brought to the facility on a daily basis.
He also notes that the facility lacks better spaces for children’s and surgical ward saying patients who have undergone bone surgeries or treatment need rehabilitation spaces as they undergo the journey to recovery, the structures he says are missing at the facility. He says these facilities will be much needed during the AFCON games.
He says their role is now to escalate the message of the much needed planning and action to the health ministry and other stakeholders.
Speaking to Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health over the matter, committed to consult with the Minister for health Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng to come clear over the ministry’s plans for the facility.
Minister Acheng recently revealed that Lira Hospital is well prepared to respond to any emergencies during the AFCON tournament. She added that the Ministry of Health is working closely with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the inter-ministerial committee, and the National Council of Sports to ensure that adequate medical personnel and services are in place.
Pius Wakabi Rujumba, the Member of Parliament for Bugahya County has called for the setting up of a local organizing committee for AFCON preparations which will be crucial to push for readdress of these issues like the health sector.
