Health 17 May 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
Soroti Hospital Theatre Breakdown Cripples Services, Surgeries Relocated
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital faces a deepening crisis as its main theatre has been non-functional for over a month due to a major power fault, forcing surgical patients to be transferred to a lower-level health center. Source: https://observer.ug/news/soroti-hospital-crisis-deepens-after-theatre-breakdown
The primary surgical theatre at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital has fallen into disrepair, leading to a significant disruption in medical services. This critical infrastructure failure, reportedly stemming from a power fault in the over 70-year-old facility, has necessitated the transfer of patients requiring surgery, including complex procedures, to Princess Diana Health Centre IV.
This makeshift arrangement involves transporting patients, medical staff, and even surgical equipment between facilities. Patients undergo operations at Princess Diana Health Centre IV before being returned to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for post-operative care. This burdensome process has created immense challenges, with patients enduring painful journeys over rough roads and caregivers facing increased expenses and logistical hurdles.
Reports indicate that some mothers who have undergone Caesarean sections have had to walk from where ambulances drop them to the hospital wards. Attendants describe the situation as overwhelming and painful, highlighting the urgency for intervention.
While Princess Diana Health Centre IV has managed to perform numerous Caesarean sections since the crisis began, its limited maternity bed capacity means post-operative patients are quickly sent back to Soroti. Hospital staff have also been covering fuel costs for the necessary transfers.
Beyond the immediate theatre breakdown, the hospital grapples with inadequate space in other departments, including its dental unit and accident/emergency ward. Health officials and medical personnel are appealing to the Ministry of Health for an urgent intervention, not just for repairs but also for the construction of a modern theatre to effectively manage the large patient caseload from across the Teso and Karamoja sub-regions.
The hospital serves over two million people, and its ongoing struggles with outdated and non-functional infrastructure leave both patients and healthcare workers in a state of anxious anticipation for a sustainable solution.
This story was originally reported by The Observer (Uganda).