By Flavia Oyuu, Communications Office, Lira Diocese
For years, families across Northern and Eastern Uganda seeking specialised surgical care for their children have faced long journeys, costly referrals, and uncertain outcomes. But at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, a major step toward transforming paediatric healthcare has arrived in the form of modern theatre equipment worth approximately UGX 500 million.
On Friday, May 22, the hospital received a consignment of specialised paediatric theatre equipment donated by United Kingdom-based charity Kids Operating Room, commonly known as Kids OR. The donation is expected to significantly strengthen surgical services for children and support the operationalisation of a fully-fledged, state-of-the-art paediatric surgical ward at the hospital.
The equipment package includes modern operating beds, theatre trolleys, operating drums, complete anaesthesia machine sets, recovery monitors, and chairs for waiting areas, all intended to improve both patient care and the working environment for medical teams.
Speaking shortly after receiving the equipment, Acting Hospital Director Dr. Andrew Odur described the donation as timely support that comes at a critical moment for the hospital.
“This support has come at the right time when the hospital is expanding and improving paediatric surgical care,” he said. “Once installed, the equipment will greatly enhance patient safety and provide a more conducive working environment for our surgeons and healthcare teams.”
For healthcare workers at the facility, the donation represents more than just machines and theatre furniture. It is a boost to the hospital’s broader vision of becoming a leading centre for specialised paediatric surgery in Northern Uganda.
According to Paediatric Surgeon Dr. Charles Newton Odongo, the new equipment is expected to improve access to specialised surgical care for thousands of children from Northern and Eastern Uganda, many of whom previously had to travel long distances to seek treatment in Kampala and other major urban centres.
“With this equipment, more children will be able to receive timely surgical care closer to their homes,” Dr. Odongo noted, adding that the hospital is also planning to establish fellowship training programmes in paediatric surgery in the future.
The planned training programmes are expected to increase the number of paediatric surgical specialists in the region and strengthen child healthcare outcomes in Uganda’s underserved areas.
Installation of the equipment will be carried out by a team of medical technology experts working alongside the hospital’s biomedical engineers to ensure proper maintenance and long-term sustainability. Hospital authorities say the equipment is expected to be fully installed and operational by the beginning of June 2026.
Currently, Lira Regional Referral Hospital conducts approximately 10,000 surgeries every year, with children accounting for nearly a quarter of all surgical procedures performed at the facility. Since the establishment of the paediatric surgery unit, more than 3,000 children have undergone complex surgical procedures at the hospital.
To many families, the investment signals renewed hope — hope that children born with complex conditions or those requiring emergency surgical intervention will receive quality care without the emotional and financial strain of travelling far from home.
Hospital management expressed gratitude to Kids OR and other development partners supporting efforts to improve healthcare services for children in Uganda, describing the partnership as a meaningful contribution toward saving young lives and strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
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