Uganda Not Ready for Burn Disasters As Oil Production Nears, Doctors Warn

17 March 2026
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Henry Mugenyi

As Uganda moves closer to its long-awaited first oil production in 2026, health experts are raising concerns about the country's preparedness to handle potential industrial burn disasters.

Appearing before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, the Executive Director of Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, Charles Kabugo, warned that increased oil and gas activity could heighten the risk of large-scale fire incidents, yet Uganda's capacity to manage severe burn injuries remains limited.

"If you get into oil and gas exploration, the risk of big fires gets high," Dr Kabugo told lawmakers.

"We definitely need a bigger unit that should be able to manage this type of patients."

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At Kiruddu, one of the country's key facilities for treating severe burns, doctors are already operating under pressure. Burn injuries are among the most complex and resource-intensive cases, often requiring specialised units, trained personnel and prolonged rehabilitation. A sudden influx of patients, Kabugo cautioned, could quickly overwhelm existing services.

Health experts point to experiences in oil-producing countries such as Nigeria, where pipeline explosions--sometimes linked to illegal tapping--have caused mass casualties and life-threatening burn injuries.

Lives Behind the Statistics

Patients with severe burns frequently endure long hospital stays, multiple surgical procedures and lasting physical and psychological trauma. Families also face significant emotional and financial strain during recovery, often with limited support systems.

Doctors on the frontline warn that without adequate preparation, similar tragedies could occur as Uganda's oil sector expands.

Kabugo is now proposing the construction of a dedicated burns hospital near major oil production zones to improve emergency response and access to specialised care.

"We are in the process of developing a proposal that we want to present to government," he said.

Uganda's oil sector has long been viewed as a driver of economic transformation. However, health professionals argue that emergency preparedness must be prioritised alongside infrastructure development.

For now, facilities like Kiruddu remain a critical lifeline. But with oil production on the horizon, doctors caution that without timely investment and strategic planning, the healthcare system risks being unprepared when disaster strikes.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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