Health 17 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Soroti Hospital CT Scan Machine Breakdown Leaves Patients Facing Higher Costs
Patients at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital are being forced to travel to other facilities for CT scans due to a broken machine, incurring significant additional expenses. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/patients-struggle-as-soroti-hospital-ct-scan-machine-breaks-down-5598334
Patients requiring Computed Tomography (CT) scans are facing significant hardship as the machine at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital has been non-operational for the past four months.
The breakdown, which occurred in May, has forced hospital administration to refer patients to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for the essential diagnostic service.
This referral process is imposing substantial financial burdens on patients and their families. Grace Rose Sagal, a resident of Olilim in Katakwi, recounted having to hire an ambulance to transport a 70-year-old relative to Mbale for a scan, a journey that added considerable cost to the procedure.
“For the service that we would ideally pay only Shs150,000 at Soroti Hospital, it cost us altogether Shs400,000 including the cost of hiring an ambulance,” Sagal stated.
Soroti Regional Referral Hospital administrator, Benzy Omoya, confirmed the breakdown and acknowledged the added expenses for patients. He mentioned that the Ministry of Health has been alerted but a response is still pending.
Omoya explained that the CT scan machine, a German-made unit, requires replacement parts. However, the maintenance contract with the Ministry of Health has expired, delaying the repair process as the contractor awaits contract renewal and formalization.
The CT scan is a vital imaging test that uses X-rays and computer technology to create detailed images of bones and soft tissues, aiding in disease detection and diagnosis. The lack of this service in Soroti disrupts critical healthcare pathways for patients.
This CT scan issue is not the only challenge facing the hospital. Dr. Ben Watmon, the hospital director, previously highlighted an severe understaffing issue, with the hospital operating with 283 staff out of a required 1,231, and an overloaded bed capacity, holding over 500 patients in a 278-bed facility.