Mulago National referral hospital has announced plans to introduce liver transplant services next year, a development expected to benefit hundreds of patients suffering from advanced liver diseases that require specialised surgical intervention.
The hospital’s executive director, Dr Rosemary Byanyima, said Mulago has already identified several patients with chronic liver conditions through its specialised clinics who are in urgent need of transplantation.
Byanyima revealed that the hospital is partnering with Yashoda Hospital in India, whose specialists will work closely with Mulago’s medical teams to carry out Uganda’s first-ever liver transplant.
She said Mulago has already dispatched multidisciplinary teams to India and the United Kingdom for one-month training programmes aimed at strengthening capacity ahead of the rollout.
Upon their return, the teams will begin screening patients after refreshing their skills in the procedures, protocols and preparations required for liver transplantation. So far, Mulago has successfully conducted three kidney transplants, marking a milestone for the hospital’s organ transplant programme.
Both donors and recipients are reported to be in stable condition.
Funding and staffing constraints
Byanyima appealed to the government and the ministry of Health to increase the hospital’s funding, noting that demand for specialised services is expected to rise significantly once liver transplants commence.
“We have been operating in a camp mode, where teams are mobilised to carry out procedures and then return to their respective units,” she said. “However, we want transplant services to be continuous. This requires permanently stationed staff, which in turn calls for improved remuneration.”
She noted that Mulago currently receives a mere Shs 8.6 billion from the National Medical Stores (NMS) for essential medicines and sundries, compared to an estimated optimal requirement of about Shs 35 billion.
The hospital’s annual budget for patient medicines stands at Shs 23 billion, against a projected need of Shs 101 billion. Byanyima said the funding gap limits service delivery and, in some cases, forces patients’ attendants to purchase items the hospital is unable to provide.
She also raised concern over understaffing, saying current staffing levels stand at 57 per cent, which continues to affect service delivery in some departments.
ISO certification
Meanwhile, Dr Jane Nakibuuka, a senior consultant physician and chairperson of the Quality Assurance Committee, announced that Mulago has attained ISO certification from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.
The certification covers three management systems: ISO 9001 for Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems, and ISO 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
Nakibuuka said the certification followed the implementation of several reforms aimed at improving healthcare service delivery and will help Mulago maintain consistent quality standards while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.