The increase highlights the growing demand for specialised maternal healthcare, even as the district expands its capacity to provide such services.
The report, based on findings from 10 health facilities between June 1 and September 30, 2026, identifies Rubanda District Hospital, Hamurwa Health Centre IV and Bufundi Health Centre III as the most affected by the growing demand for healthcare services.
At Bufundi Health Centre III, some patients have been forced to sleep on the floor after the maternity ward ran out of beds, according to the facility’s in-charge, Maurice Ruhangariyo.
The findings are contained in a 39-page report produced under a Community-Led Monitoring project implemented by Kigezi Orphans and Vulnerable Children Living with HIV/AIDS (KADOLHA), in collaboration with Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation and TASO Uganda.
Funded by the Global Fund, the project aims to improve access to, quality and availability of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services in the district by the end of December 2026.
The report was presented at a meeting at Rubanda District headquarters attended by district officials, health-sector stakeholders and journalists.
KADOLHA team leader Amos Tugumisirize said patients interviewed during the exercise complained of spending long hours at health facilities due to congestion in outpatient and inpatient departments.
He said the growing number of patients was putting additional pressure on facilities whose resources were already stretched, raising concerns about the quality of care.
“I don’t know what you’re going to do as the district local government, but this is affecting service delivery,” Tugumisirize said, pointing to shortages of essential medicines, particularly those used to treat tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria.
The report attributes the increase in patient numbers partly to improvements in infrastructure and healthcare services, which have attracted patients from neighbouring districts, including Kanungu and Kisoro.
Rubanda District Chief Administrative Officer Samuel Ahabwe said some patients were travelling to Rubanda after discovering that particular services were unavailable at facilities closer to their homes.
“I even believe that we are serving people from neighbouring countries, the DRC and Rwanda,” Ahabwe said.
He said health workers should be prepared to attend to everyone seeking medical care as district authorities work towards finding lasting solutions to the growing demand.
However, the report also raises concerns about staff absenteeism and late reporting for duty, particularly at Health Centre II and Health Centre III facilities.
Rubanda District Health Officer Dr David Mpola Mpola commended KADOLHA for documenting the challenges but urged facility in-charges to strengthen supervision and ensure health workers report for duty on time.
The District Secretary for Health and Education, Obed Mutatiina Kitabutuuka, warned that absenteeism and late reporting would not be tolerated, saying increased access to information had empowered communities to demand accountability from public servants.
“These days, advanced communication technology such as social media has empowered locals with information. They know you’re scientists and how much you earn. These reports of absenteeism and late reporting to work will not be accepted by these informed community members,” Kitabutuuka said.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Rubanda West Hillary Bindeeba said the RDC’s office would lead a team of district officials on a fact-finding mission to investigate the concerns raised in the report, particularly those relating to staff absenteeism.
He said the team would conduct unannounced visits to health facilities to establish whether health workers were reporting for duty and providing services as expected.
Bindeeba added that government investments in the district’s health sector should be matched by improved performance and accountability, warning that poor service delivery would not be tolerated.
Infrastructure investments
The pressure on health facilities comes as the government invests in expanding healthcare infrastructure and improving services across Rubanda District.
Rubanda District Hospital, which previously operated as a Health Centre IV, was elevated to hospital status, with up to sh18.5b allocated for infrastructure development, recruitment of specialists and other requirements.
The hospital began operating in July 2025, but growing demand has placed additional pressure on its services as construction and other improvements continue.
Hamurwa Health Centre IV recently received sh500m from the Bank of Uganda, alongside medical equipment, while multi-million-shilling construction works are underway at Bufundi Health Centre III as the government moves to upgrade it to a Health Centre IV.
Rubanda District LC5 chairman Stephen Ampeire Kasyaba said his office had been informed that the average number of women delivering by Caesarean section at the district hospital had increased from 45 per month in the 2024/2025 financial year to 95 by October 2026.
The increase highlights the growing demand for specialised maternal healthcare, even as the district expands its capacity to provide such services.
However, delays in completing construction works have left patients and health workers grappling with inadequate space, further complicating service delivery.
The community monitoring findings point to the need for district authorities to ensure that infrastructure development and expanded healthcare services are accompanied by adequate staffing, essential medicines, beds and other supplies.
Without corresponding investment in these resources, the growing number of patients could continue to strain health facilities and undermine the quality of care in Rubanda.
