By Eye Media Reporter | July 1, 2026
JINJA – Jinja Regional Referral Hospital is operating without a resident neurosurgeon, a development that has exposed a critical gap in specialized healthcare services in eastern Uganda and forced patients with serious brain and spinal conditions to seek treatment elsewhere.
Hospital management confirmed that the facility currently lacks a neurosurgeon, making it impossible to perform complex brain and spinal surgeries. Patients requiring such specialized care are first stabilized before being referred to national referral hospitals, particularly in Kampala.
The absence of a neurosurgeon has raised concerns among health experts and members of the public, who warn that delays in accessing specialized treatment could reduce the chances of survival and recovery for patients suffering from traumatic head injuries, brain tumors, spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.
Hospital officials attributed the challenge to Uganda’s limited number of neurosurgeons, saying the shortage has made it difficult to deploy specialists to regional referral hospitals across the country.
Despite the staffing gap, management says Jinja Regional Referral Hospital continues to provide emergency care, general surgery and other essential health services while working closely with referral facilities to ensure patients receive the specialized treatment they require.
Uganda continues to face a nationwide shortage of specialist doctors, leaving several regional referral hospitals unable to offer advanced medical services. Health stakeholders have repeatedly called for increased investment in specialist training, recruitment and retention to improve access to lifesaving healthcare beyond the capital.
The revelation has renewed debate over the state of specialized healthcare in Uganda, with many urging the government to strengthen regional referral hospitals by deploying more specialists and equipping them with the resources needed to handle complex medical cases closer to patients’ homes.
