Tororo General Hospital seeks regional referral status

Health workers at Tororo General Hospital have appealed to the Parliament of Uganda to upgrade the facility to a regional referral hospital. During an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Senior Nursing Officer Stella Agembi argued that the hospital is well-positioned for this status due to its existing infrastructure, staffing, and over 10 acres of available land for expansion.

The hospital serves an immediate population of approximately 63,000, but its total catchment area extends to over one million people across five neighboring districts and Kenya. Agembi noted that patients currently must travel long distances to access specialized services that the facility cannot currently provide as a general hospital.

Members of Parliament observed that Tororo General Hospital showed better infrastructure and equipment compared to other general hospitals visited during the week, noting support from partners such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Baylor College of Medicine, and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). However, the committee raised serious concerns regarding poor hygiene standards, specifically within the maternity ward and the outpatient department.