The government has commissioned a modern simulation center for training at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala as part of efforts to improve emergency response in the nation.

The facility, which cost sh570 million, was built by Total Energies EP Uganda (TEPU) in partnership with the Makerere University College of Health Sciences and Mulago Hospital offers specialized emergency medical skills training to increase medical members’ readiness and capacity to respond to medical emergencies.

The facility is equipped with simulated patients also known as mannequins or high-fidelity simulators, which will be used to mimic real patients, complete with lifelike features and vital signs. The centre also has three simulation rooms resembling an emergency room, ICU, and operating room, monitoring equipment, medical supplies, and realistic props.

The centre is also equipped with audio and video recording systems which allow instructors to observe and debrief participants on their performance.

Dr Faith Komagun (center) the Chief Resident Emergency Medicine demonstrates to other physicians during the handover of the Makerere University Hospital Emergency Critical Simulation Training center at Mulago hospital on August 30 2023. Photo by Nicholas Oneal.

Each room has a capacity to accommodate six trainees at time with 100-seater auditorium.

Dr. Charles Olaro, Director Curative Services, Ministry of Health, noted during the facility's commissioning that it is now Africa’s second-largest simulation training center, after only Cape Town, in South Africa.

He emphasized how crucial the center is to the nation, in terms of bolstering the emergency medical services.

“This is going to be able the improve the training emergency physicians as it will expose the medical students to scenarios, so that when they get exposed to actual patients, they know what to do,” he added.

He pointed out that in the past, students would be exposed to patients directly, which was not appropriate and risky.

Olaro said some of the people who will be trained at facility will be deployed in the oil region to handle any emergency cases that might arise.

In her remarks delivered by Olaro, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine said the facility was timely.

She pointed out that as part of universal health coverage, the 72nd World Health Assembly resolution 7216, which was held in May 2019, called on states and nations to strengthen their emergency health care systems.

She said that as part of efforts to create a strong national emergency system, the country also developed a national Emergency Medical Services (EMS) policy, EMS protocols, and EMS guidelines.

Atwine said the country targets to increase emergency medical care to 50 by 2025.

“We appreciate the support from TEPU in strengthening emergency medicine. This state-of-art simulation centre strategically places Uganda as a training and capacity building institute both locally and internationally,” she added.

Mulago Hospital's acting executive director, Rosemary Byanyima, thanked the sponsors for the simulation lab, noting that it will give trainees experience with mock patients before they handle actual patients.

Medical students, physicians, allied health workers, emergency room doctors, anesthesiologists, surgeons, and pediatricians are just a few of the trainees who are being targeted.