Lira Hospital unveils sh2b paediatric theatre, advan

________________ Lira Regional Referral Hospital has commissioned a sh2 billion paediatric surgical theatre and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The state-of-the-art facilities, which are expected to improve specialised healthcare for newborns and children in Lango and the northern region while reducing referrals, were unveiled on July 9, 2026. According to Dr Newton Odongo, a paediatric surgeon at Lira Hospital, the facility receives more than 50 paediatric cases every week. However, they previously managed to operate on only about 15 because they had to share the theatre with other departments. The fully equipped paediatric surgical theatre, he said, will go a long way in improving care for children not only in Lango but across the northern region and even parts of the eastern region. Dr Ritah Waddimba, the country director of Pathfinder International-Uganda, said the facilities were established with funding from the United Kingdom government under the Empower Programme, a project aimed at empowering women through better reproductive healthcare. She said the programme has supported neonatal ICUs and that four have so far been completed at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital and Iganga Hospital. Similar facilities at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Kisoro General Hospital and Yumbe Hospital are expected to be completed by the end of this year.