Health 19 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Jinja Hospital's New Neurosurgery Unit Boosts Survival Rates in Busoga
Jinja Regional Referral Hospital's neurosurgery services, launched in January 2025, have dramatically cut mortality from brain injuries, saving lives previously lost to referral delays. Despite progress, staffing shortages and equipment gaps persist for the facility serving 4.5 million people. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/neurological-services-open-new-doors-for-patients-in-busoga-5396314
Patients with severe brain conditions in Uganda’s Busoga region now have better chances of survival thanks to neurosurgery services at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital (JRRH).
Before January 2025, nearly 90 percent of patients referred from JRRH to distant facilities like those in Kampala died due to treatment delays, according to neurosurgeon Dr. Ronald Mabubi. Urgent cases from road accidents, assaults, and falls often deteriorated during transfers.
The on-site unit has transformed outcomes. From April to December 2025, the team handled 189 operations with just five deaths—a stark improvement. The hospital now manages 80-100 neurotrauma cases monthly, operating on 20-25 critically ill patients.
“Now that we can operate here, we are saving more lives,” Dr. Mabubi noted, crediting reduced delays for the gains.
JRRH Director Dr. Alfred Yayi emphasized the service’s role in curbing preventable deaths from trauma referrals. Support from the Busoga Health Forum included Shs20 million in equipment, though Shs200 million is needed for full setup.
Challenges remain, including only two basic surgeons, no full neurospecialists or qualified anaesthesiologists, shortages of theatre nurses and ICU staff, high supply costs, and limited access to MRI and PET scans beyond basic CT imaging.
Personal stories underscore the impact. Mr. Aggrey David Kibenge shared how his mother died en route to Kampala for unavailable care. Busoga Health Forum Chair Prof. Peter Waiswa urges more donations to bolster services for the 4.5 million catchment population.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)