Mbale Regional Referral Hospital has received a Shs70 million anaesthetic machine from the Elgon Center for Health Research and Innovation to strengthen surgical services and improve emergency care. The equipment is intended to support the hospital’s newly expanded obstetric operating theatre and address shortages of anaesthesia equipment that have affected the facility’s ability to handle multiple emergencies at the same time.
The machine was handed over to the hospital on Thursday during a ceremony attended by health officials and representatives of the Elgon Center for Health Research and Innovation. Dr Adam Hewitt-Smith, an anaesthesiologist representing the Elgon Center, said the donation was intended to strengthen collaboration between the private sector and public health facilities while improving emergency care for patients.
He said the equipment would help improve patient safety and support surgical teams in managing emergencies, particularly in obstetric care. Dr Daniel Mayafu, the hospital’s Head of Clinical Services, said the machine would immediately improve the hospital’s capacity to conduct surgeries in the expanded obstetric theatre. He said having a dedicated anaesthesia station in the theatre would reduce logistical constraints and allow surgical teams to attend to patients without unnecessary delays.
“As health service providers to our community, we guarantee them safety and improve the health of our people and our staff as well,” Mayafu said. Dr Arwinyo Baifa, the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Executive Director, thanked the Elgon Center for the donation, saying the machine would help address a major equipment gap in the hospital’s operating theatres.
She said the hospital had been working to ensure that all three theatres are adequately equipped with anaesthesia machines. “I want to thank you very much; this is a machine worth over Shs70 million. It’s a big percentage of our budget for equipment. You have really filled a gap that has been in our operating room,” Arwinyo said. She said installing the machine in one of the operating rooms would reduce the waiting time for critically ill patients requiring emergency surgery.
“I want to assure you that our surgical teams will put this machine into full use to help our patients. We will also ensure it is well maintained,” Arwinyo added. Before the donation, shortages of specialised theatre equipment had placed additional pressure on the hospital’s emergency surgical services, particularly when several obstetric emergencies occurred simultaneously.
The hospital’s surgical teams have had to manage competing emergencies, creating a risk of delays in procedures such as emergency Caesarean sections. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital serves as a major referral facility for the Elgon sub-region, with a catchment population of more than 4.5 million people across 17 districts. Hospital statistics indicate that the maternity unit handles more than 500 deliveries each month, placing significant demand on its obstetric and emergency surgical services-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
