Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital is scheduled to receive 146 additional health workers, a move intended to alleviate significant staffing shortages and expand the facility's capacity to provide specialised care. According to Nile Post, the government will fund the salaries of these new employees, directly addressing the human resource gaps that have constrained the hospital's operations. This deployment is projected to increase the facility's staffing level from the current 28% to 43%, a substantial improvement that will enhance the quality of healthcare available to patients in the Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions.
Dr Archibald Newton Bahizi Sebahire, the hospital director, stated that the new staff will complement existing specialists, including cardiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. He noted that the hospital had previously improved its staffing ratio from 23% to 28%, and the upcoming addition of 146 workers will push this figure to 43%. This increase is expected to reduce the need for patients to travel to distant facilities for advanced medical treatment, thereby strengthening local access to specialised services.
The announcement was made during a visit by Mishac Kawamara, the Senior Presidential Adviser on Mobilisation, who is leading a campaign to highlight government projects in the region. Kawamara explained that the initiative aims to showcase public investments and help communities understand the impact of government programmes. He stated that President Museveni assigned him to tour the sub-regions to highlight achievements amid public criticism regarding service delivery. The campaign, which has a one-week first phase, focuses on demonstrating the tangible benefits of public spending.
Beyond the hospital, the delegation visited Katalaka Health Centre IV in Fort Portal City, where the government constructed a facility valued at more than Shs1.5 billion. The group also inspected Bukuuku Community Secondary School, where over Shs2 billion has been invested in infrastructure. The school's headteacher reported that these improvements contributed to an increase in student enrolment from 345 to 600. Local leaders, including NRM chairperson Claire Kasande and Resident City Commissioner Asuman Nasike, welcomed the investments, describing them as evidence of continuity and sustainability in the region's development. The seven-day mobilisation campaign will continue across the sub-regions, focusing on healthcare, education, and other public service sectors.