Lira Referral Hospital’s ICU Remains Non-Functional Due to Lack of Anesthesiologists

While the ICU is well-equipped with ventilators and other vital machinery, the absence of qualified professionals to operate them has rendered the unit non-functional.

Lira Regional Referral Hospital, which serves over two million people in the Lango Sub-region, continues to face a significant healthcare crisis.

Despite being equipped with essential ICU equipment, the hospital is unable to provide full Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services due to a critical shortage of specialized personnel, particularly anesthesiologists.

Emily Musimenta, a nursing officer at the hospital, confirmed that while the ICU is well-equipped with ventilators and other vital machinery, the absence of qualified professionals to operate them has rendered the unit non-functional.

“We shall operate as a full ICU. So you can note that Lira Regional Referral has an equipped ICU, but not a functional one. And the reason is that the personnel are not on the ground,” Musimenta said.

As a result, patients who need intensive care and ventilator support are forced to travel long distances to Lacoo Hospital in Gulu City or to hospitals in Kampala, which are hundreds of kilometres away.

This presents a major obstacle, particularly for patients in critical conditions who require immediate care.

“Ideally, the patient is supposed to be on those machines, the ventilators. So right now, if we have a patient who needs a ventilator, we have to refer them to Lacoo or Kampala,” Musimenta added.

Currently, Lira Hospital operates as a High Dependency Unit (HDU), which provides advanced care but lacks the full capabilities of an ICU.

Musimenta notes that the unit is running at only half the capacity of what was originally planned, unable to handle the complex needs of critically ill patients.

The hospital’s inability to establish a fully functional ICU is primarily due to the difficulty of attracting anesthesiologists to work in the region, according to Dr. Bosco Omongo Ekwang, a surgeon at Lira Hospital.

“The problem has been about attracting anesthesiologists.

The hospital advertised for one in the last financial year, but we did not receive an applicant,” Dr. Omongo explained.

Dr. Omongo noted that most anesthesiologists prefer to work in Kampala, where career growth opportunities, higher salaries, and better working conditions are available.

This trend has left regional hospitals in Northern Uganda, including Lira, struggling to attract and retain specialists. “They are few, and the greater majority are concentrated within Kampala.

While Lacoo has anesthesiologists because they have a program to train and retain them, even the ones trained there only work for a few years and then leave for Kampala,” he said.

Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope for Lira Hospital. Dr. Omongo revealed that a specialist currently undergoing training has shown interest in returning to work at the hospital.

“Someone in training had shown interest in coming to work here because he had previously been here. So that is the hope we have,” he said.

The lack of a fully operational ICU at Lira Hospital is more than just an inconvenience; it is a major health crisis for the people of Lango Sub-region, who depend on the facility for specialized care.

With limited options available, many critically ill patients face delays in receiving the treatment they need, leading to increased mortality rates.

Healthcare professionals and local leaders have called on the government to take urgent action to address the shortage of anesthesiologists and other specialists in regional hospitals.

They urge the government to offer better incentives and improve working conditions to attract and retain medical professionals in underserved areas.

The current situation at Lira Regional Referral Hospital highlights a growing challenge in Uganda’s healthcare system, where regional hospitals are often under-resourced and unable to meet the needs of their populations.

As the demand for specialized care continues to rise, it is crucial for the government to prioritize the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel in these critical areas to ensure that all Ugandans have access to quality healthcare, regardless of where they live.