Gov’t to turn Naguru hospital into national trauma center

PARLIAMENT | TRAUMA | CENTRE 

KAMPALA - The Government has approved the conversion of Naguru National Referral Hospital to Naguru National Trauma Center, to address road traffic injuries, other trauma cases and common emergencies. 

According to the minister of state for health in charge of general duties Anifa Kawooya, the move is aimed at decongesting Mulago National Referral Hospital and give specialized care to the victims. 

“We are setting the center here at Naguru but note that all regional referral hospitals provide trauma services, the ones we are talking about are the specialized centers which will be specific to improve that care as it is globally,” Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, the commissioner emergency medical services in the ministry of health explained. 

The MPs suggested that the Government procures more ambulances to handle road accident victims and equip Police stations especially those operating on the major highways, with ambulances to transport those injured. (Credit: Miriam Namutebi)

Waniaye, minister Kawooya and Eng. George Otim, the commissioner health infrastructure, had appeared before the Parliament’s committee on Physical infrastructure on Wednesday. 

According to the ministry of health, on average, over 3500 people die due to road traffic accidents in Uganda annually and an average of 9500 are severely injured annually. 

The MPs suggested that the Government procures more ambulances to handle road accident victims and equip Police stations especially those operating on the major highways, with ambulances to transport those injured. 

In 2020/21 and 2021/22, Mulago hospital admitted 500-600 trauma patients per month, accounting for 45.6% of the admissions in accident and emergency department.  

“The total admissions into the intensive care unit 2021/2022, were 400. Of these 139 patients were severe trauma patients. Majority of the victims were males accounting for 83%,” Kawooya explained.