Hoima Hospital set to introduce dialysis services
The development is expected to bring much-needed relief to patients suffering from kidney disease in Bunyoro region.
The introduction of a dialysis unit in Hoima is expected to reduce travel burdens and improve survival rates for patients suffering from kidney failure. (Photos by John Musenze)
John Musenze
Journalist @New Vision
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Hoima Regional Referral Hospital is set to introduce dialysis services, according to reports reaching New Vision Online.
The development is expected to bring much-needed relief to patients suffering from kidney disease in Bunyoro region.
This follows the directive from the health ministry and Parliament of Uganda to establish satellite dialysis centres in selected regional hospitals, including Mbarara, Lira, Mbale, and Hoima.
According to Kiruddu National Referral Hospital director Dr Chavesen Kabugo, while dialysis services have already been established in Mbarara, Lira and Mbale, Hoima had been left out due to financial constraints.
However, plans are now in motion to set up the service at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.
“We are pleased to announce that on March 20, 2025, a team from Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, led by nephrologist Dr Kiggundu Daniel, will conduct an assessment and begin organising the setup of dialysis services at Hoima,” Kabugo stated.
For years, kidney patients in Bunyoro have had to travel long distances to access dialysis services, which are only available at Mulago Specialised Hospital, Kiruddu Referral Hospital, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and a few Kampala city hospitals.
The introduction of a dialysis unit in Hoima is expected to reduce travel burdens and improve survival rates for patients suffering from kidney failure.
Dr Robert Kalyesubula, the chairperson of the department of physiology at Makerere University and a nephrologist, emphasised the dire need for dialysis services in Uganda.
A kidney specialist nurse attending to a patient during a dialysis session at Mulago Referral hospital.
“Did you know that up to 90% of people with kidney disease do not know that they have it?” Kalyesubula said, “Unfortunately, with limited access to dialysis or kidney transplant services, many patients succumb to the disease due to a lack of timely treatment”.
He further highlighted the scarcity of nephrologists in Uganda, “we have now not more than 20 kidney specialists for a population of 45 million people. The burden is overwhelming, and many patients cannot afford dialysis, which costs between shillings 150,000 in government hospitals and up to shillings 450,000 in private facilities per session.”
He urged Ugandans to prioritise kidney health, especially those at risk: “If you are over 40 years old and living with hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell disease, or any other chronic illness, get your kidneys checked with a simple blood and urine test. Prevention is better than cure.”
The introduction of dialysis services at Hoima Hospital is expected to improve access to care and save many lives.
However, Kalyesubula stressed the need for more investment in kidney care, including increasing public awareness and expanding access to treatment options such as kidney transplants.