Health 15 September 2026 Parliament of Uganda
Arua Hospital Grapples with Critical Staff Shortage at 23%
Arua Regional Referral Hospital is severely understaffed, operating at only 23% of its approved workforce, which significantly hampers its ability to meet the growing patient demand. The hospital serves a vast population across the West Nile region, including refugees and cross-border patients. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php/news/4615/arua-hospital-runs-23-staffing-amid-rising-patient-pressure
Arua Regional Referral Hospital is facing a severe crisis due to a critical staff shortage, functioning with merely 23 percent of its authorized personnel. This drastic deficit, disclosed by Acting Director Dr. Gilbert Aniku, directly impacts the hospital’s capacity to deliver essential services amidst escalating patient numbers.
The hospital caters to approximately 2.5 million people in the West Nile region, a demographic that includes local Ugandans, refugees, and individuals crossing the border. Annually, Arua Hospital manages around 130,000 outpatient visits and 22,000 inpatients, placing immense strain on its limited human resources and existing infrastructure.
Dr. Aniku highlighted that the staffing gap is particularly acute in maternity services. With 7,000 deliveries annually, roughly 22 per day, and 40 percent of these requiring caesarean sections, the hospital’s resources are stretched thin. While the hospital anticipates some relief with the recruitment of 127 additional staff funded in the current financial year, bringing the staffing level to 32 percent, further challenges persist.
The hospital also reported expired medicines worth Shs148 million, including essential antiretroviral drugs, attributing some of the issue to donations and temperature control problems in the medicine store. Air conditioning units are being installed to address the ambient temperature issue.
Specialized services like cancer care remain limited, with patients often referred to Mulago or Gulu for treatment. The hospital also faces challenges with its mortuary facilities and a past incident involving a missing ambulance. While an oxygen plant and CT scan are operational, dialysis services are still under development, with staff training scheduled to commence soon.