Arua Hospital Struggles with Critical Staff Shortage

Arua Regional Referral Hospital is grappling with a critical staffing deficit, functioning with a mere 23% of its authorized workforce. Dr. Gilbert Aniku, the acting director, revealed this alarming situation to the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. The hospital serves a vast population of approximately 2.5 million people, including local residents, refugees, and cross-border visitors.

Each year, the hospital manages around 130,000 outpatient visits and 22,000 inpatient admissions. This high patient load, coupled with the inadequate staffing, strains both human resources and infrastructure. Dr. Aniku highlighted that the shortage is particularly acute in maternity services, where 7,000 deliveries occurred in the reviewed financial year, averaging 22 births daily. The high rate of caesarean sections further compounds the pressure on existing facilities.

Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope as Parliament has allocated additional wage funding for the current financial year. This will enable the recruitment of 127 new staff, aiming to increase the hospital’s staffing level to 32%. These new recruits are expected to bolster specialized services such as intensive care, dialysis, and emergency care.

The committee also addressed concerns regarding expired medicines, including vital antiretroviral drugs, valued at Shs148 million. Dr. Aniku acknowledged the issue, attributing some expired supplies to donations and explaining that efforts are underway to improve the medicine store’s conditions, including the installation of air conditioning.

Cancer care remains a significant concern, with the hospital lacking the capacity for in-house diagnosis and treatment, necessitating referrals to Mulago or Gulu. A planned cancer facility for West Nile is intended to address this gap in the future. The hospital does operate an oxygen plant and a CT scan facility, with dialysis services under development.

Discussions also covered the inadequate mortuary facilities and the disappearance of an ambulance. The current mortuary predates the hospital’s designation as a referral center and is insufficient for its needs. Plans for a modern facility are on hold due to cost. The investigation into the missing ambulance is ongoing.

https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4615/arua-hospital-runs-23-staffing-amid-rising-patient-pressure