• M M Ajiko, D Davé, I Feldhaus, R N Smith, C Juillard, and R A Dicker.
• Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, Soroti-Lira Rd, Soroti, Uganda.
• Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2017 Apr 1; 43 (2): 265-272.

PurposeSurgical disease is being increasingly recognized as a significant health burden in Africa. Efforts have been made to describe surgical disease and capacity at the district hospital level. Little is known about patterns seen at regional hospitals supporting the district hospital network.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted at Uganda's Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, serving eight districts. Data were collected from July 2010 to March 2012 using operative and inpatient records as available. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to explore patterns of procedures performed and in-patient diagnoses.ResultsThere were 8511 procedures recorded in the operative log between July 2010 and June 2011, averaging 709 per month. Caesarian sections (41 %), dilation and evacuations (28 %), and laparotomies (19 %) were most frequent. Referrals to Soroti averaged 260 per month, while transfers out averaged 5 patients per month. Inpatient records documented 2949 surgically related diagnoses between July 2010 and May 2011. In patients >4 years old, 21 % of mortality was due to surgical disease, 29 % of which was trauma-related. Women comprised 80 % of violent injury. Common hospital record elements, such as demographic data, important clinical information, and operative notes were absent from these data sources.ConclusionsThe World Health Assembly recently recognized strengthening of first referral hospitals as a crucial element to achieving universal health coverage. Inconsistencies in recordkeeping despite the large volume of surgical disease suggest that sustainable surveillance systems and capacity building at the referral hospital level are potential building blocks to improving access to surgical care.

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