Dr. Paska Apiyo, Consultant Physician at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, mooted there need to scale down the high numbers of non-communicable diseases (NDC), that develop due to genetic, lifestyle, environmental, or metabolic factors, and are usually long-lasting and chronic. A case in point disease that include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illness.
Dr. Paska Apiyo is very optimistic due to the few Medical Doctor specialists, which are only two in Gulu Regional Referral Hospital; we are going to have 30 medical doctor specialists scheduled for a one-week-long medical camp at Gulu City main medical facility.
Would you give us the number of patients succumbing to death on a weekly basis? According to sources reading death announcements on MEGA FM 102 radio station, over 1000 death announcements are being aired; you can find them from 9:00-10:30 PM. Every Evening alone, over 2,00 death messages are being passed on to the public.
“The number of patients being admitted at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital is overwhelming. Weekly numbers of morbidity overwhelm Human Resources, because 1 medical personnel ration 33 patients treated. According to the medical report we have got at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in the month of June 2026, the number of deaths in the emergency ward is 157, and in the medical ward 128, TB WARD 38, ICU 28 and acute cases 24.” Dr Paska Apiyo disclosed.
GULU CITY-TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026.
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, (Uganda Correspondent)
On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, two Medical Doctors from Acholi Sub-Region opened yet another window of hope to patients suffering of non-Communicable disease, the most common risk factor leading to thousands of people in the Acholi community leading to their dead. The news is that medical camps are being held from 21st -22th day of August 2026, scheduled at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
Dr, Oriba Dan Langoya and Dr, Paska Apiyo delivered good news in a media briefing at the Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC). The duo made the revelation, outlining the importance of organising a medical camp on non-combinable disease.
Dr. Apiyo told the press, I would like to appreciate this initiative. As the Association of Uganda, we are drowning our programs for a medical camp as a cooperative responsibility; we have selected Gulu Regional referral Hospital. At the referral we have patients, we have specially in organ treatment.
Adding that, at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, we are going to specialized in Heart; our chief patient is going to be Norbert Mao, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
“We, as Acholi, are happy to let this camp in Gulu City also organise HIV camps and a kidney camp; we are also trying to find our burden. As Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, we have come up with this initiative to have an inspired camp; we have held the meeting.
In this camp with us we integrated with the patients who need us; we are going to provide even medication. We expect cardiac echo, Radioactivity, Ultrasound.” Dr. Paska Apiyo stressed.
She further appealed, please come to meet different medical experts; I want to recommend skin disease to be soon” Dr. Paska Apiyo sounded.
Dr Oriba Dan Langoya, from St. Mary Hospital Lacor, on chronic diseases, argued that chronic diseases should be handled with care.
The journalist raised the question: how many patients do you expect to attend the medical camp? Dr. Paska Apiyo came in to answer the question and commented that, as a regional hospital, we handle all specialized treatment for the region. But let people come; we are not against that, since the association is coming with their packages.
We are going to improve on our care, with Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, we have only two Physicians expert government employed cardiac arrest specialist.
Dr, Oriba Dan Langoya reasoned that we expect 1600 patients; we have a team of 30 doctors coming from Kampala.
A journalist asked what the common factor of disease in the Acholi sub-region, and what is common in the change of our life style. The kind of obesity leg is not common with obesity in Africa, unlike in Europe, when you have heart problems, you go to sweets.
The cost of treating kidney disease weekly is about UGX 100,000; per month is UGX 1 million. During medical camp, we can screen you for high blood pressure diabetic, because most people do not know that they have High Blood Pressure and Diabetic diseases problem, until they check at the hospital
“You don’t know that you have Diabetic until you check it from the Hospital, rise in stock is late complication 90% of it rise from Diabetic and High Blood Pressure, the symptom of those non-communicable diseases you find that you have a burning leg, or swelling sick cell disease, for High Blood Potential, you have high heart beat.” Dr. Oriba Dan Langoya acknowledged.
Uganda Correspondent posed the question: why is it common with old ages people they are having High Blood potential and Diabetics? And could it be related to biochemical waste being used in Northern Uganda, a case in point: formalin medical treatment for treating dead bodies?
Dr. Oriba Dan Langoya, a specialist in Heart treatment at St. Mary Lacor Hospital, clarified, we realized that this day worker sit in their office for long without stressing their leg.
“Studies have discovered that sitting for long causes High Blood Pressure and diabetes, let us check ourselves. The other critical checkup is a daily routine; we spend less money because everybody is proud to protect the country, but people are not doing that.” Dr Oriba Dan Langoya alluded.
He furthermore reacted, first of all, I want to appreciate your question, when you see your blood pressure becoming high, you have a problem.
Our people have a big genetic problem; environmental that the host factors is the genetic is modified things. Those people, if you don’t tell them, are at risk, because in the past their genes were resistant, but not today.
“The high morbidity in Acholi Sub-Region is not related to biochemical biological use, pr not related to energy drinks like Predator Sing, sodas being served in plastic bottles. Or Formalin medical treatment.” Dr. Oriba Dan. Langoya asserted.
We received over 200-500 on a daily basis of High Blood Pressure and diabetes, contributing to 80% of diabetes, followed by the most common causes of Kidney failure rising out of High blood Pressure.
Dr. Paska Apiyo analysis from Gulu Regional Referral Hospital
The causes of death have changed from non-committable disease like cancer and cardiac arrest that is the cause of death verse-vies. HIV and Malaria, we have been having risk factors that can lead to cancer, that cause focus on non-communicable diseases in the country.
Risk factor trend from 9:00-5:00 PM
Dr. Paska Apiyo appeals to the medication providers within Gulu City, especially those pharmaceutical dealers, to turn up and provide their services because, during the medical camp, we are not going to write referral letters to buy medicine from the private clinic, to help us in giving medicine.
We also appeal to Mental Health Clinic that they are part of Gulu City Health camp, because stress and Diabetes is part of non-committable disease is the reason we are here.
The medical camp, will treat the liver disease, international organ related illness too
