A delegation from Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, comprising board members and top management, led by Board Chairperson Dr. Ananaria Muhunde and Hospital Director Dr. Filbert Nyeko, visited Lira Regional Referral Hospital on Wednesday to benchmark and share experiences on health service delivery.
The benchmarking tour focused on quality of clinical care, infrastructural development, hospital land management, functionalization of the private wing, and research-driven decision-making.
During the visit, Lira Hospital’s top management, led by Director Dr. Andrew Odur, highlighted the hospital’s progress in providing high-quality medical care to the community. He commended the trust and confidence other institutions have placed in Lira Hospital, noting that it motivates the team to continue improving services.
"We take benchmarking very seriously because it provides valuable reflection. As management and leaders in this hospital, it energizes us to do even more, showing that the efforts we’ve invested are yielding results. We pledge to continue addressing what can be improved for the betterment of service," said Dr. Odur.
Principal Hospital Administrator Peter Okello Odeke expressed gratitude for Kabale Hospital’s visit, emphasizing the value of cross-pollination of ideas and the strengthening of ties between the two hospitals.
Dr. Ananaria Muhunde, Chairperson of Kabale Hospital’s board, explained that they chose to visit Lira Hospital because of its rapid growth and improvements in service quality.
"We have learned a lot from Lira Regional Referral Hospital. Their success is a clear result of clear thinking," Dr. Muhunde said.
Dr. Filbert Nyeko, Director of Kabale Hospital, applauded Lira Hospital for hosting the delegation, noting the visit’s significant impact.
"Lira Regional Referral Hospital was ideal for our benchmark visit because of how they have managed issues such as land, which we also face. We wanted to see how they handled it. Their recently established private wing is thriving while ours is still struggling. They have mobilized resources for infrastructure, which is commendable, and leveraged the political environment effectively," Dr. Nyeko said.
Dr. Nyeko added that the delegation learned how Lira Hospital ensures quality health care and service acceptability among surrounding communities.
"We learned that with the right political environment, there is support, participation, and resource mobilization. Through their private wing, Lira has generated additional resources and set up services that contribute financially to the hospital. They have also sourced funding through grants and partnerships with universities and NGOs," he noted.
The delegation also appreciated specialized services at Lira, including dialysis, pediatric surgery, and the hospital’s general orderliness.
Following the visit, Dr. Muhunde encouraged the Kabale team to implement lessons learned, emphasizing the need to start small, learn quickly from mistakes, and progressively move forward, just as Lira Hospital has successfully done.