Patients who require intensive or specialist treatment and close observation, either as a result of a serious illness or injury or following major surgery, are usually cared for in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) or the High Dependency Unit (HDU) at Mulago Hospital. These are specialist ward areas that are well equipped and fully staffed to provide intensive care and close monitoring. Together they form the department of Critical Care.

Patients requiring advanced respiratory support alone or basic respiratory support together with support of at least two organ systems are also catered for under the Unit. This level includes all complex patients requiring support for multi-organ failure.

Patients may come to us after complex surgery, as a result of overwhelming infection or after trauma. Occasionally children are admitted to our critical care areas for stabilisation before they are transferred to a specialist paediatric centre.

The Unit offers life support through a range of technical interventions. Our patients may be connected to a ventilator to assist with their breathing. They may need drugs to support their heart and blood pressure or their kidneys may need support from a kidney machine.

VISITORS

Visiting is encouraged only during official hospital visiting hours but if these hours are inconvenient for you or you wish to spend longer with your relative or friend, please speak to the doctors in charge, who will try to accommodate you. Critical Care is a busy area and we try to keep the number of visitors at a bedside to two at a time.

If a lot of activity is happening within the unit, visitors may be asked to leave the bedside and wait in the visitor's room until it is appropriate for you to return. Please be patient with us during these times. We have installed an intercom system to communicate with you while you are in the visitor's room and will do our best to keep you informed about what is happening.