Experts Urge Community-Based Solutions as Mental Health Gaps Persist in Uganda

Up to 75% of people experiencing mental distress in Uganda do not seek care from hospitals or professional health providers, highlighting a major gap in access to mental health services. Vincent Mujune, Country Director of the NGO StrongMinds Uganda, says that the use of traditional mental health providers is gaining recognition even among the scientific…

Youth Demand Dignity, Rights, and Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Health

At the SHE & Rights session of the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025), a chorus of young activists, advocates, and health leaders painted a vivid picture of progress, gaps, and persistent challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the Global South. The consensus: while some strides have been made, stigma,…

Abortion Rights: A Global Human Rights Imperative

The “Abortion Rights: A Global Human Rights Imperative” session, celebrating the first anniversary of the SHE & Rights initiative, brought together diverse voices ahead of key international events like the 80th United Nations General Assembly. The central message woven throughout the session was that abortion rights are human rights, an essential component of sexual and…

Experts call for urgent action on the hidden link between drug resistance and chronic diseases

Health experts and patient advocates are sounding the alarm on the dangerous intersection between antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), warning that siloed responses are failing patients and weakening health systems worldwide. “It is high time to break down silos and build integrated people-centered approaches and resilient health systems that can respond to both…

Experts demand action on Uganda’s growing food fraud crisis

Experts attending the Uganda National Conference on Health, Human Rights and Development have expressed concern over the increasing cases of food fraud, warning that the problem remains largely unchecked. Speaking at the ongoing conference, Ketra Nakayenga, Principal Consultant in charge of Quality Assurance and Standardization at the Ministry of Trade, urged Ugandans to demand accountability…

Jinja City Deputy Speaker Leads Fundraising for Ultrasound Machine

Jinja City Deputy Speaker Sirina Kyakuwaire has launched a fundraising campaign with residents to purchase a modern ultrasound scan machine aimed at improving access for mothers who cannot afford such services in private health facilities. Kyakuwaire noted that most ultrasound machines in Jinja’s public health facilities experience frequent breakdowns, leaving pregnant women with limited options.…

Ugandan Students Develop Rapid UTI Test to Tackle Hidden Epidemic

A group of teenage girls from Sumaya Girls’ Secondary School in Nsangi, Uganda, have designed a breakthrough urinary tract infection (UTI) detector strip that could transform how infections are diagnosed and treated across the country. Called the Euro-care UTI Detector Strip, the innovation provides results in under four minutes, offering a private, affordable, and reliable…

Rheumatic heart disease in Uganda

Rheumatic heart disease is a vastly under-researched condition that disproportionately affects low-income countries, with an estimated 55 million cases worldwide. It is the leading cause of cardiac-related mortality in children globally, particularly impacting those aged 5-15 years, typically in kindergarten and lower primary school. The disease progresses through three stages: an initial strep throat infection,…