By: Our Reporter

Arua Regional Referral Hospital has received clearance from the central government to recruit 127 additional health workers as part of efforts to address critical staffing gaps and improve service delivery.

Dr. Gilbert Aniku the Acting Senior Executive Consultant at the hospital, said the recruitment will target key positions that have remained understaffed, affecting the facility’s ability to provide specialised and emergency services.

Under the recruitment plan, priority will be given to specialists in critical areas, including  Intensivists – doctors who care for very sick patients, especially those in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Anesthesiologists – doctors who give anesthesia to patients before and during surgery and monitor them during the procedure.

Emergency physicians – doctors who treat patients with serious or life-threatening conditions requiring immediate care and

Paediatricians – doctors who specialise in the health and treatment of babies, children and adolescents.

The hospital administration also plans to recruit an additional 15 midwives and nurses to strengthen staffing in the maternity ward, one of the facility’s busiest and most critical departments.

The maternity ward handled more than 7,000 deliveries in the last financial year despite existing staffing challenges, placing additional pressure on the available health workers.

The hospital currently has only nine specialists, against a recommended establishment of 50 specialists to conduct surgeries and provide other critical medical services.

Arua Regional Referral Hospital serves patients from across the West Nile region as well as neighbouring areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

By the end of last year, the facility had only 14 medical and clinical officers and 25 midwives, according to hospital records.

A recent report by the State House Health Monitoring Unit also highlighted staffing shortages at the hospital, noting that the facility is a high-volume health centre that attends to thousands of patients.

Dr. Stephen Ataro Ayella, Assistant Director at the State House Health Monitoring Unit, acknowledged the staffing shortage, saying it was among the factors contributing to absenteeism and frequent sick leave among the available health workers.

Ataro said the hospital was operating at below 30 percent of its required staffing level, a situation he said needs to be addressed to enable the facility to effectively fulfil its mandate as a regional referral hospital.

Meanwhile, Ayivu West Division Member of Parliament, Phiona Onzima, said the staffing shortages and other challenges facing the hospital could be addressed through collaboration among government, hospital management and other stakeholders.