Uganda’s only specialised burns unit is under mounting pressure as cases surge, prompting urgent calls from medical experts for a fully-fledged national burns hospital to save lives and strengthen care.
Medical experts are raising alarm over a growing burns crisis in Uganda, warning that limited capacity and rising cases are putting lives at risk and stretching the country’s healthcare system.
Currently, Kiruddu National Referral Hospital remains the only specialised facility for burns treatment. Its 60-bed unit is under constant strain, receiving more than ten new patients daily, with numbers often spiking during emergencies.
Health workers say the facility is overwhelmed, with critically injured patients requiring intensive and long-term care. In many cases, new admissions arrive faster than others can be discharged, placing immense pressure on staff, space, and medical supplies.
Dr. Rose Alenyo, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who heads the burns unit at Kiruddu, says most injuries are caused by preventable domestic risks.
“These include open cooking fires, charcoal stoves, kerosene accidents, hot liquids, and unsafe electrical connections,” she explained.
She noted that many incidents occur in homes where cooking is done at ground level, exposing young children to serious harm.
“As a result, most burn victims are children under the age of 10. Women are also disproportionately affected due to their roles in cooking and household activities,” Dr. Alenyo added.
Beyond the initial injury, the consequences are often severe and long-lasting. Survivors may face permanent disability, disfigurement, and psychological trauma, while delayed or inadequate treatment increases the risk of infections and death.
The financial burden on families is also significant, with prolonged treatment costs pushing many households into economic hardship.
Despite the scale of the problem, Uganda’s capacity to handle burns cases remains critically limited. The country has only about ten burns specialists, a shortage that experts say is already affecting the quality and timeliness of care.
Dr. Alenyo warned that without urgent investment, outcomes could worsen.
Experts say many burns injuries can be prevented through simple safety measures such as raising cooking surfaces, keeping children away from kitchens, ensuring safe fuel storage, and improving electrical safety in homes.
However, they stress that prevention alone is not sufficient.
“There is an urgent need to expand specialised care, train more personnel, and establish a dedicated national burns hospital to manage the increasing caseload,” health professionals emphasize.
As cases continue to rise, experts are urging government and stakeholders to act swiftly, warning that without intervention, the burns crisis could escalate further and place even more lives at risk.
