LIRA, Friday, May 22, 2026 – Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) has taken a major leap forward in children’s surgical care with the receipt of modern paediatric theatre equipment valued at approximately UGX 500 million, donated by UK-based health partner, Kids Operating Room (Kids OR).
The consignment, which includes operating beds, theatre trolleys, operating drums, complete anaesthesia machine sets, recovery monitors, and waiting area chairs, is earmarked for the operationalisation of a fully-fledged, state-of-the-art children’s surgical ward at the hospital.
Speaking after receiving the equipment, the Acting Hospital Director, Dr. Andrew Odur, described the donation as timely and significant, coming at a critical moment as the facility works to strengthen paediatric surgical services.
“This support has come at the right time when the hospital is expanding and improving paediatric surgical care. Once installed, the equipment will greatly enhance patient safety and provide a more conducive working environment for our surgeons and healthcare teams,” Dr. Odur said.
Paediatric Surgeon Dr. Charles Newton Odongo highlighted the broader regional impact, noting that the new equipment will significantly improve access to specialised paediatric surgical services for children from Northern and Eastern Uganda.
“Families will no longer bear the heavy burden of long-distance referrals and travel for treatment,” Dr. Odongo said. He further revealed that the hospital has plans to establish fellowship training programmes in paediatric surgery in the future, aimed at increasing the number of specialists in the region and improving child healthcare outcomes.
A team of medical technology experts, working closely with the hospital’s biomedical engineers, will oversee the installation to ensure sustainability and proper maintenance. The equipment is expected to be fully installed and operational by the beginning of June 2026.
Lira Regional Referral Hospital currently conducts approximately 10,000 surgeries annually, with children accounting for about 25 percent of all surgical procedures performed at the facility. Since the establishment of the paediatric surgery unit, more than 3,000 children have benefited from complex surgical procedures.
Hospital management expressed gratitude to Kids Operating Room and all development partners committed to improving healthcare services for children in Uganda.
