Story by Aggrey Twesigye
Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital is grappling with a high turnover of pregnant women, leading to the early discharge of new mothers.
The government-aided hospital, which serves the entire Ankole sub-region, is experiencing extreme pressure on its maternity ward.
As a result, mothers who deliver normally are being discharged within six hours, despite this being against medical standards, to make room for others.
Dr. Musa Kayondo, the head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, explained that women who undergo cesarean sections are discharged after two days.
According to the 2023/24 hospital performance report, the department admitted 10,000 women, with 85% of cases related to obstetrics, and recorded 7,000 deliveries. Of these, 56% were via cesarean section.
Dr. Kayondo expressed concerns that lower health centers are not providing adequate support for deliveries and are instead referring expectant mothers to the regional hospital, exacerbating the congestion. He also highlighted major challenges, including a post-delivery ward with only 45 beds, forcing some mothers to sleep on the floor.
The facility is also facing staffing shortages, with only 19 midwives, and lacks a labor ward theater and sufficient delivery beds—there are just three beds to handle 35 deliveries daily.
Dr. Kayondo urged for immediate intervention to address these critical issues and improve the hospital’s capacity to manage the growing demand.
