Hoima hospital overwhelmed by patients seeking ICU services

Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hoima Regional Referral Hospital is overwhelmed by the number of patients in need of Intensive care unit (ICU) services.

Statistics at the hospital indicate that at least 30 patients in need of Intensive care Unit services are admitted every week yet it does not possess the specialized infrastructure and equipment meant to handle patients in need of ICU services.

Some of the cases arise from neo-natal where most babies are born in a premature state whereas other cases result from accidents and Kidney failures among others.

Dr Ibrahim Bwanga, the Acting Director of Hoima Regional Referral Hospital says, at least 30 patients in need of ICU services are admitted at the facility every week.

Dr Bwanga said that patients in critical condition are facing challenges in accessing the specialized care they need since the region does not have the specialized facilities with the necessary infrastructure and equipment to handle ICU services.

He says, currently patients with ailments like Kidney and respiratory-related complications are being referred to the Mulago National Referral Hospital which is too far just because there are no facilities that can handle such cases.

In August 2023, the Ministry of Health, through the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project (UCREPP) launched the construction of an ICU at the Hoima regional referral hospital.

The contract for the shillings 8.4 billion ICU was awarded to Excel Construction Company Limited.

Currently, all the civil works at the facility have been completed and the remaining work is the installation of equipment that is crucial for the operationalization of the Intensive care Unit.

Dr. Bwanga says that, with the establishment of the ICU being undertaken at the Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, healthcare services will be enhanced and the facility will have the capacity to address a wide range of health challenges and improve patient outcomes.

Doreen Nshabohurira, a communication officer from the Ministry of Health under the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project (UCREPP) says, the health ministry realized that it was very crucial to establish an Intensive care Unit in the Bunyoro sub-region stating that, when fully functional, the facility will be a big boost towards the realization of appropriate health care services to the people of Bunyoro sub-region.

Abdul Karim, the Project engineer Excel Construction Company Limited says, they executed the construction works within 15 months adding that currently all the civil works at the construction site have been done.

Badru Mugabi, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner-RCC says, the government has invested a lot in the health sector in the Bunyoro sub-region and tasked residents to take advantage of the improved health care system to improve their health by regularly taking checkups to know their status and health conditions.

The three-storied ICU facility will comprise the administration block and dialysis section, theatre, Isolation rooms, High Dependency Unit, Recovery room, changing room, office space, conference hall, Toilets and the ICU itself with an 8-bed capacity.

The Hoima Regional Referral Hospital serves a population of 3.5 million people from the nine districts of Hoima, Buliisa, Kiryandongo, Kakumiro, Kagadi, Kibaale, Masindi, Kikuube, and Hoima City.

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