Published on 21/07/2025
Members of Parliament have expressed outrage over what they described as poor prioritisation in the recruitment of staff at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, after it was revealed that the facility has prioritised hiring security guards and kitchen attendants over critical medical personnel, such as surgeons, dentists, and technicians.
The concerns were raised during a meeting between the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament and hospital officials, who had been summoned to respond to findings in the December 2024 Auditor General’s report.
Butambala County MP, Muwanga Kivumbi, questioned whether Gulu still qualifies as a regional referral hospital given its severe staffing shortages. “You are operating at 27% staffing capacity. Are you really a referral hospital or just a makeshift? That’s a big question. You call it Gulu Referral, but without critical staff, is it really a referral? This is alarming,” Kivumbi remarked.
He cited key operational deficiencies, including a lack of telephone operators for emergency coordination and a shortfall in essential support staff. “Out of 22 required askaris, there are only 17. Of 13 drivers, only 11 are available. It’s a disaster,” he added.
Staffing Crisis
Auditor General Edward Akol, in his report, noted that of the 485 approved positions at Gulu Hospital, 339 had been filled, leaving 146 vacancies. He warned that “understaffing hinders service delivery, while overstaffing strains the wage budget and signals a poor staffing structure.”
PAC Vice Chairperson Gorrethe Namugga highlighted grave gaps in the dental department, where only one consultant is employed out of an approved 11. She also pointed out that the hospital has no senior consultants or public health dental assistants despite being allocated slots, and that critical roles such as a principal laboratory technologist, senior occupational therapist, and radiographers remain unfilled.
“We are struggling to understand your logic in staffing. Why would you consider these crucial positions less important, yet fill non-critical roles in large numbers? Why couldn’t you hire even a plumber or technician for a regional referral hospital?” Namugga asked.
Dr. Peter Mukobi, Director of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, admitted to the staffing challenges and attributed them to persistent funding constraints. He said since assuming office in FY2023/24, the hospital has not received any funds for recruitment. “We have never received any recruitment funding. I found many of these positions vacant. Even before I arrived, for at least two years, there was no money to hire staff,” Dr. Mukobi told the Committee.
He added that the staffing structure used by the Auditor General was outdated and that a revised version came into effect in March 2024. Under the current wage bill of UGX 10.3 billion for FY2025/26 (up from UGX 9.3 billion), plans are underway to hire more personnel.
“The limited staffing compromises both the quantity and quality of services we offer. Without a maxillofacial consultant, for example, we simply cannot provide that service. When consultants are missing, the entire service delivery chain suffers,” he said.
Absence of Internal Audit Unit
Kumi Municipality MP, Silas Aogon, raised concerns about the absence of an internal auditor at the hospital. “One of the most glaring issues is the complete absence of an internal audit unit. How do you account for funds without internal oversight? With kitchen attendants numbering 11 and auditors at zero, it’s clear your priorities are misaligned,” Aogon said.
He warned that such a gap allows unchecked spending by administrators and leaves the hospital vulnerable to mismanagement until the Auditor General steps in.
Jacinta Akullo, Principal Human Resource Officer at Gulu Hospital, acknowledged the flaws in the previous staff structure, saying many of the current employees had been onboard before reforms could be implemented. “We couldn’t remove the staff who were already recruited, like kitchen attendants. However, we are now working on filling the critical positions,” she said.
Akullo revealed that the hospital plans to recruit 75 additional staff, which would raise staffing levels from 27% to 35.8% of the required 1,195 positions.
Gulu Hospital Stretched Thin
Gulu Regional Referral Hospital serves nine districts, including Gulu City, Pader, Amuru, Kitgum, Omoro, Agago, Lamwo and Gulu District. On average, the facility handles 160,000 outpatient visits annually, including 100,000 general and 60,000 specialised cases.
With a bed capacity of only 350, Dr. Mukobi admitted the hospital is overwhelmed. “The bed space is insufficient given our patient volumes. We regularly experience overflow,” he said.
