Political leaders, stakeholders, and Hoima Regional Hospital administration are appealing for increased funding for the hospital, more medical supplies, and additional staff to fill a staffing gap of 26%.
The aim is to improve service delivery to the growing number of patients who flock to the hospital daily.
Currently, the hospital receives Shs13 billion annually, of which Shs10 billion goes towards wages. Leaders are advocating for an increased budget of at least Shs25 billion to address the growing demands of the facility.
Hoima Regional Referral Hospital serves a wide catchment area, including the nine districts that make up the Bunyoro sub-region.
It also receives patients from districts like Kiboga and Kyankwanzi, as well as from Congo, with some traveling through Buliisa to Kikuube on the shores of Lake Albert.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Ibrahim Bwaga, the hospital director, explained that on average, the hospital receives at least 300 outpatient department patients daily, along with over 100 referrals from lower health centers within Bunyoro.
Many of these patients arrive late, especially pregnant women who seek assistance after failing to deliver with traditional birth attendants, and require surgeries.
"Personally, I'm a gynecologist, and you can hardly find me in my office; most of us are busy in the theatre ensuring that we save lives. But sometimes, we get overwhelmed with the numbers," Dr. Bwaga said.
Dr. Bwaga raised concerns over inadequate staffing and medical supplies. With a staffing level of only 26%, he questioned whether the available staff could effectively handle the increasing patient numbers.
"We receive patients from all over Bunyoro, but can the 26% staffing handle the huge numbers that turn up here? Besides, delays in medical consignments and inadequacy of supplies are additional challenges," he added.
Dr. Bwaga also expressed frustration over the constant criticism from some politicians and members of the public.
He refuted claims that the hospital was a "death trap," pointing out that despite receiving critically ill patients, the hospital had not recorded any deaths in the last month.
"Most referrals come in critical condition, but none of them has died in the last close to a month, despite coming in late," he stated.
"People need to appreciate that the hospital staff is making efforts to improve services. These kinds of statements let us down. We are worried patients may end up shunning the hospital, and these negative sentiments about Hoima Regional Hospital continue to spread," he added.
In response to concerns about miscommunication and its potential to tarnish the hospital’s reputation, Dr. Bwaga announced plans for a community baraza (meeting) with patients, leaders, and other stakeholders to listen to concerns and find ways to address them.
"It looks like there has been a gap. Now we are opting for a baraza that will happen every two weeks. If someone asks for money, let people point at them. If services are inadequate, people will speak out. Where we deserve credit, the patients can acknowledge us, including pointing out individual doctors, which will be good for appraisal," Dr. Bwaga said.
Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner, noted that the hospital’s space is too small to accommodate the increasing patient numbers.
"This was initially a district hospital, later upgraded, but the budgetary allocations did not change significantly. There is a need to increase the financial allocation, staffing, and drugs to meet the demands," Tumusiime said.
Tumusiime also advocated for the establishment of a health center IV in each constituency, which would help reduce the number of patients coming to Hoima Regional Hospital.
"There was a plan to have a health centre IV per constituency. This will help reduce the numbers that come to Hoima Regional Hospital. We also need a district hospital for Hoima and Kikuube, as they currently only have health center IVs, which are not fully equipped," he noted.