Lira, Uganda | Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) has unveiled plans to construct a five-storey Maternal and Child Health (MCH) complex, aimed at expanding obstetric, gynecological, and neonatal services in the region.
The development was revealed on 7 March 2026 during the commissioning of the hospital’s newly upgraded 45-bed Urogynecology and Fistula Ward.
Dr. Fred Nyangkori, Chairman of the Hospital Board, said the project will replace temporary tents currently used to accommodate postnatal mothers and newborns.
“Mothers have been sleeping in tents outside the maternity ward due to limited space, exposing them and their babies to infections, especially during the rainy season,” he explained.
The proposed complex will feature dedicated floors for obstetric and gynecological patients, a neonatal intensive care unit, and specialized services for children with chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease.
“This is our vision for a comprehensive hub where mothers and children can receive all essential services under one roof,” Dr. Nyangkori said.
Hospital Director Dr. Andrew Odur highlighted the urgency of the project, noting that LRRH handles about 8,400 deliveries annually, with 25 percent requiring Caesarean sections.
“The current facilities are overstretched, and this complex will ensure safe, dignified care for mothers and their newborns,” he said.
Minister of Health and Lira City Woman MP, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, confirmed that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will support the construction and is currently mobilizing funds.
She emphasized the need to prevent maternal complications, including fistula, which remains prevalent in the Lango sub-region, and called on communities to protect the girl child and delay early pregnancies.
The hospital with land already secured, hopes the five-storey MCH complex will transform LRRH into a state-of-the-art regional center, providing comprehensive services for mothers and newborns across Northern Uganda.
