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Moroto RRH
Moroto RRH
REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL
Moroto regional referral Hospital, built in the 1940s is a public referral facility situated in the
northeastern Uganda town of Moroto. It serves the seven districts that comprise the Karamoja sub
region, namely Abim, Amudat, Kabong, Kotido, Moroto, Napak and Nakapiripit.
Formerly a general Hospital, Moroto was elevated to Regional Referral Hospital status on 1 July
2009.
The hospital’s catchment population is estimated at about 1.3 million according to the 2012/13
Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) projections.
The hospital’s designated bed capacity is about 100 although its actual capacity is 172 beds, and its
planned bed capacity for regional status is 350 beds. Moroto hospital became a regional referral
hospital on July 1, 2009. Moroto Hospital currently supervises the Subregion’s 112 health
facilities, including two district general hospitals ( kaaboong and Abim) and one PNFP hospital
(Matany), four HCIVs, 30 HC IIs, and 75 Hc IIs.
According to Dr. Alex Andema, the hospitals’ director, Moroto hospital which opened to the
public in 1950 has made giant strides over the last five years.
He says the hospital’s development Master Plan is ready; its land title has been secured and thanks
to funding from the government and support from private partners, the hospital has over the years
made giant strides in terms of infrastructural development.
With the help of a World Bank loan under the UHSSP project, Moroto regional referral hospital has
been rehabilitated and reequipped and now boasts of a new outpatient department, 30 staff houses
under the first phase, Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines among other structures The hospital
has received medical equipment such as refrigerators, auto clavas, furniture and IT equipment.
Under the second phase of UHSSP, the hospital got a twofloor complex consisting of a 50bed
surgical ward and a 50bed medical ward. Another threestoreyed complex for a 50bed Maternity
Ward, 50bed Paediatric Ward, an Operating Theatre comprising six operating rooms, a Private
Wing, a Pathology Wing and Staff house will also be built.
The building of these complexes should take off soon, says Dr. Alex Andema, the hospital’s
director. The government is also working to address the lack of blood at the facility by helping the
hospital have access to regular blood supply. A regional blood collection facility will be established
with effect from financial year 2014 / 15. This will be made operational with support / supervision
from Mbale Regional Blood Bank. However, although it will begin on a small scale in a renovated
building, the government plans to construct a facility for the regional blood bank in the hospital.
The hospital too has managed to secure funds from the government to secure a mobile medical
equipment workshop. This was made operational n financial year 2014/15.
Through the Uganda Health System Strengthening Project (UHSSP), a World Bank funded project,
Moroto Hospital – the only regional referral hospital to benefit – new OPD and Casualty Wings
were recently completed under the first phase of the project.
The environment around the hospital has been improved, a generator house built, and a placenta pit
and medical waste pit constructed. A patient attendants’ kitchen and laundry have also been put in
place.
The hospital’s water supply system has also been boosted with a 144,000litre reservoir, an
electrical bore hole pump and solar water pump. Additionally, a new sewage network for Moroto
hospital has been put in place to improve sanitation.
There have also been efforts to address the staffing situation at the hospital in recent years. Through
the Health Service Commission, there has been a special recruitment for Moroto Hospital. Moroto
Hospital has a staffing level of about 28% which is half the national average (56%) and the national
target for regional referral hospitals (65%).
Other partners such as TASO (which has recruited 36 staff over the last two financial years), the
Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) which has availed four staff to help in comprehensive HIV /
AIDS care and train other health workers, as well as the Strengthening Uganda’s System for
Treating AIDS Nationally (SUSTAIN) project have all come in to improve the staff numbers
required at a regional referral facility like Moroto.
Finally, there have been initiatives like the temporary contractual recruitments by the hospital while
student volunteers have been encouraged.
The hospital annual approved development budget for FY 2014/15 was Ug shs 999.8 million which
100% was released and Ug shs 892 million (89.2%) was spent by the end of the financial year.
Ongoing Works of the Maternity Ward
Completed construction of first phase(10 units) of 30 units of staff houses
New patient beds at Moroto Regional Referral Hospital