Gulu Regional Referral Hospital has suspended mortuary services for a one-month for renovation exercise. Walter Uryek-Wun, the Principal Assistant Secretary at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, revealed that the hospital has earmarked 160 million Shillings for the renovation.
According to Uryek-Wun, the renovation works include the installation of a new mortuary refrigerator, renovation of the existing structure, construction of a dedicated body washing area, and improved office space for mortuary staff. He explained that the existing refrigerator had become unreliable after years of use and frequently broke down, making it difficult to preserve bodies for extended periods.
“It is a renovation process which is ongoing, and it will take about one month from now. We are going to buy a new refrigerator because the old one had become very old and kept breaking down almost every time,” Uryek-Wun said. Uganda Radio Network understands that despite the upgrades, the mortuary’s storage capacity will remain at six bodies because the hospital is not expanding the building.
Uryek-Wun noted that besides replacing the refrigeration system, the renovation seeks to improve the appearance of the mortuary and working conditions for staff. “The structure itself had deteriorated and was no longer giving a good picture of the hospital. We also thought of adding other components such as a washing space and offices for the mortician and the mortuary team,” he said.
Families and the police have been advised to take bodies to alternative mortuaries in the region. Uryek-Wun said the hospital informed police and communities to utilize nearby mortuaries during the renovation.
Among the facilities identified are St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Fourth Division Hospital, Anaka General Hospital, Kitgum General Hospital, Uganda Cancer Institute, and several Health Centre IV mortuaries. The temporary closure of the mortuary coincided with Tuesday night’s deadly head-on collision involving an Opit Travelers bus and a trailer at Lwena village in Bobi Sub-county, Omoro District, which left 15 people dead and 28 others injured.
Although the hospital’s mortuary had already been closed, Uryek-Wun said the hospital improvised by converting part of its emergency isolation unit into a temporary holding area for the crash victims. “It was by surprise that the accident took place. What we did was to create space in the isolation area to keep the bodies for one day for identification. After the bodies were identified by their relatives, they were taken away. That was an emergency, and we had to respond,” he said.
The renovation comes amid growing pressure on the hospital’s mortuary services. In recent months, the hospital administration has repeatedly raised concerns over the increasing number of bodies brought to the facility, despite its limited six-body storage capacity.
However, Gulu City Council, according to information Uganda Radio Network obtained, is considering expanding the existing mortuary at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital to address the growing demand for mortuary services in the city and the wider Acholi Sub-region.
Innocent Ahimbisibwe, the Gulu City Town Clerk, told Uganda Radio Network on Friday that the proposal is already captured in the city’s five-year development plan but will require approval by the council during the planning process for the 2026/27 financial year.
According to Ahimbisibwe, while constructing a completely new city mortuary remains a long-term goal, the immediate priority is to extend the existing mortuary block at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. “Most likely in the next financial year, even if we don’t construct a new mortuary, we can expand within the existing space. We can add some room there. That is the immediate plan, although it is yet to be approved by the council,” Ahimbisibwe told URN in an interview on Friday.
He noted that the ongoing renovation at the hospital is a welcome intervention but said it will not adequately address the increasing demand for mortuary space. Ahimbisibwe said the temporary storage of 14 victims of Tuesday night’s fatal bus crash in the hospital’s former isolation unit underscored the urgent need for additional mortuary capacity.
“The incident that occurred recently was tragic. Having about 14 bodies kept in one room was really bad. It is an area that everyone would support because it has touched many policy and decision-makers. We may not need a lot of money to add a few metres of expansion to the existing mortuary block,” he added. Most of the bodies received currently at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital are victims of road traffic crashes, mob justice, and unclaimed bodies from both the hospital and surrounding communities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
