Moroto Regional Referral Hospital has emerged as one of the best-performing health facilities in Uganda after scoring 94 percent in the implementation of the 5S management strategy introduced by the Ministry of Health Uganda to improve the quality of healthcare services.
The hospital’s performance places it at the top nationally in implementing the strategy, ahead of Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, which ranked second.
The 5S strategy is a management approach aimed at improving efficiency, safety and quality of services in health facilities. It focuses on Sorting to remove unnecessary items, Setting to organize the workplace, Shining to maintain cleanliness, Standardizing systems and procedures, and Sustaining these practices as part of the institutional culture.
The achievement was revealed during a community baraza held on Friday at Moroto Central Market and organised by Moroto Regional Referral Hospital.
According to Dr. Stephen Pande, the hospital director, the adoption of the strategy has significantly improved healthcare delivery at the facility.
Pande said the hospital has registered improvements in the number of patients served, coverage of services and the quality of care offered.
He added that the facility is now receiving patients not only from the Karamoja region but also from neighbouring countries such as Kenya and South Sudan.
Pande noted that the strategy helped transform the hospital from what he described as a critical and poorly performing facility into a centre of hope for the region.
Despite the progress, the hospital continues to face several challenges, including human resource shortages, lack of staff accommodation, and dilapidated infrastructure.
Pande said the hospital is working to recruit additional staff and provide more housing units to improve staff retention and attract health workers to the region.
He also revealed that the facility has experienced technical challenges with its oxygen plant, although efforts are underway to restore it to full functionality.
The hospital, however, has already acquired some advanced medical equipment, including a CT scan machine, with more modern equipment expected from the health ministry.
During the community dialogue, residents applauded the hospital for improving healthcare services but also raised concerns that they want management to address.Albino Lobong, a resident of Nakapelimen village, criticised the level of customer care among some health workers, saying patients are sometimes treated rudely.
He said some staff members spend too much time on social media instead of attending to patients and urged the hospital management to provide customer care training to health workers.
Isaac Lokol, the Chairperson of South Division in Moroto Municipality, raised concerns about security at the hospital.
Lokol alleged that some health workers have been involved in stealing hospital equipment and selling it to private facilities, recalling a recent incident where a staff member was apprehended while selling an oxygen cylinder belonging to the hospital.
However, he commended the hospital management for making mortuary services free of charge, unlike in the past when families were required to pay.
Mary Goretti Longora, a resident of Nadunget Town Council, raised concerns about delays in accessing ambulances, particularly for pregnant mothers from remote villages.
She said the time taken for ambulances to arrive from the referral hospital sometimes leads to loss of lives.Longora also pointed to shortages of medicines and the lack of health facilities in some sub-counties, which forces residents to travel long distances to access healthcare.
Moses Lorika, the chairperson of the Moroto District Local Government Public Accountability Committee, praised the hospital management for maintaining strong financial accountability. He said the transparency in financial management has helped the facility avoid queries from the Parliament of Uganda Public Accounts Committee.
Lorika also noted that the presence of medical volunteers has helped reduce the workload among health workers and urged the hospital to recruit more. URN