Maternal Death Exposes Gaps in Soroti Hospital

Preliminary reports from the Ministry of Health indicate that the health units in Soroti were overwhelmed with patients, resulting in the death of a mother who was referred to the lower health facility. On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Alice Akwi, 36, died hours after undergoing a cesarean section at Atirir HC1V. 

The mother of three had been referred from Asuret HC111 to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital on Monday night because of the breech presentation diagnosed by midwives at the lower health facility. But at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, Akwi was instead referred to Atirir HC1V, a lower health unit for an emergency C- section. 

After the cesarean section, the baby was found dead and the mother was transported back to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital immediately. She died after another operation where her uterus was removed due to overbleeding. Her death has attracted the attention of different stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, which commenced an investigation into the matter. 

On Monday, the Director of Curative Services at the ministry, Dr. Charles Olaro, arrived with the team at Soroti. They visited Atirir HC1V and Soroti Hospital where closed-door meetings were held with the top management. After the meeting, at Soroti hospital which dragged on almost towards 7:00 pm, Dr. Olaro told the journalists who had camped at the hospital that the facility was overwhelmed with cesarean sections on the fateful day.

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According to the reports from medics at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, the mother was taken for cesarean sections at the lower health facilities because there was no sterile theatre equipment at the facility that night. The reports indicate that the team on duty had contacted all the neighboring health units with theatres for help and found only Atirir HC1V with the required supplies. 

However, Dr. Olaro cautioned the hospital from referring patients to lower health facilities whenever there are shortages in supplies.

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Dr. Olaro told the journalists that Soroti Regional Referral Hospital conducts over 4,500 deliveries every year with an average of six cesarean sections per day. He added that the neighboring public health facilities like Atirir HC1V deliver 1300 mothers annually with 30 to 40 scissors every month while Princes Diana HC1V has 1136 deliveries.