Soroti Regional Referral Hospital has reopened its main operating theatre after months of closure caused by an electrical fault, but hospital officials say the ageing facility remains unable to meet the growing demand for surgical services. The theatre resumed operations after repairs to its electrical system, which had forced the hospital in May to transfer major surgeries to Princess Diana Health Centre IV and Atirir Health Centre IV over safety concerns.
Despite the reopening, the hospital continues to struggle with a growing surgical backlog because it operates with only two operating beds that serve all surgical specialties and emergency obstetric cases. Hospital Director Dr. Benedicto Watmon said the limited capacity means many patients continue waiting for surgery.
“There is a backlog of work, people waiting for surgery, and yet the coverage is too low per day. The condition is made worse when we receive obstetric emergencies,” he said. Dr. Watmon explained that the hospital’s 17 specialists rely on the same theatre, forcing surgeons to suspend scheduled operations whenever emergency Caesarean sections or other obstetric procedures arise.
“We end up not working on many patients, and therefore the backlog increases,” he added. To ease congestion, the hospital plans to convert a procedure room in the maternity block into a dedicated emergency operating theatre for mothers.
According to Dr. Watmon, discussions are underway with development partners to remodel the room, a move expected to free the main theatre for other surgical procedures. Senior Consultant Surgeon and Urologist Dr. Joseph Epodoi said the hospital currently performs about 20 operations daily, more than 100 each week, and an additional 10 over weekends.
He said while repairs have stabilised the power supply and improved the reliability of the theatre, they have not addressed the underlying shortage of space. “With the new installations, we expect the theatre to have a new lease of life and to better serve our patients,” Dr. Epodoi said.
Hospital management is also seeking funding to construct a new theatre, describing it as the only long-term solution to increasing demand for surgical services. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital serves patients from the Teso sub-region as well as neighbouring Karamoja, Sebei and parts of eastern Uganda.
However, much of its infrastructure dates back to the 1940s and 1950s. Ageing buildings, leaking roofs, overcrowded wards, outdated electrical systems and inadequate operating space continue to constrain service delivery at one of eastern Uganda’s busiest referral hospitals-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
