St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor is a hospital located in Gulu District, Northern Uganda. The hospital was founded by Comboni Missionaries and is administered and managed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu. Despite facing numerous challenges, the hospital has remained a story of resilience and hope.
During the violent and tyrannical reign of Idi Amin in the 1970s, the hospital was often caught in the crossfire. Throughout the 1980s, the hospital remained at constant risk as thugs repeatedly ransacked the compound, looking for drugs or petrol. Raiders kidnapped staff members and held them for ransom.
The hospital has also faced challenges in providing medical care during times of conflict. During the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency, between 2,000 and 10,000 women and children would crowd into the hospital compound every night, to avoid night-time attacks and abductions.
Despite these challenges, St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor has remained committed to providing high-quality medical care to the people of Northern Uganda. Founded in 1959 as a 30-bed hospital, the hospital has grown to become one of the best in East Africa, with 483 beds. It also serves as a referral hospital for many smaller hospitals in the region and less well-equipped hospitals in the country.
