Lira Regional Referral Hospital has secured an additional UGX 4.8 billion to facilitate the recruitment of over 150 new staff in the 2026/2027 financial year.
The Hospital Director, Dr. Andrew Odur, made the announcement on Wednesday, 8th April 2026, while delivering the maiden State of the Hospital Address at the 156th sitting of the Hospital Parliament, held at the administration block boardroom.
Dr. Odur noted that the funds will support the recruitment of a wide range of health professionals, including consultants, associate consultants, nurses, midwives, and allied health workers. This initiative is expected to significantly boost staffing levels from the current 320 to nearly 500 personnel.
“In the next financial year, we are going to recruit more than 150 staff following the allocation of an additional UGX 4.8 billion for recruitment,” Dr. Odur stated.
He further outlined key priority projects for the upcoming year, including the construction of a new ward complex, reclamation of 10.4 acres of encroached hospital land, completion of the hospital fencing, and construction of staff housing.
On specialized healthcare services, Dr. Odur revealed that the hospital is strengthening capacity to offer advanced care in areas such as fertility treatment, neonatology, cardiology, neurotrauma, and endoscopy.
Ongoing projects set for completion before the end of the current financial year include the extension of the private wing, remodeling and paving of part of Police Road, equipping of the theatre, and construction of canopies along major walkways within the hospital.
Reflecting on the past year, Dr. Odur highlighted several achievements, including the construction of a fully-fledged satellite laboratory now internally accredited by SANAS, expansion of a 45-bed gynecology ward, operationalization of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and the successful performance of 174 surgeries.
However, he raised concern over the high disease burden recorded, including 7,592 malaria cases, 1,742 urinary tract infections, and 1,038 sickle cell disease cases.
In his closing remarks, the Speaker of the Hospital Parliament, Dr. Bosco Omongo, urged hospital leadership to engage the Ministries of Health and Finance to secure additional funding to support the hospital’s upgrade, especially as Lira City prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2027.
Dr. Omongo also emphasized the urgent need for the construction of a city mortuary, noting that the current facility at the hospital is overwhelmed, with a capacity to handle only 12 bodies at a time.
