Language Barriers Undermine Family Planning Care for Refugees, Providers Say

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Providers of family planning services in refugee-hosting health facilities are calling for professional interpreters, saying language barriers are compromising care and preventing refugees from making informed contraceptive choices. Speaking at a stakeholders’ dialogue organized by Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) on sexual and reproductive health in refugee settings, Maria Goretti Kemirembe, a family…

Hydroxyurea Shortage Hits Sickle Cell Patients at Lira Hospital

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Several sickle cell patients enrolled in the clinic at Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) are going without Hydroxyurea, a key crisis-management drug that helps prevent severe complications. Hydroxyurea is a disease-modifying medication for sickle cell anemia that reduces painful crises, hospitalizations, and acute chest syndrome. It works by increasing fetal hemoglobin (HbF), making red blood…

JMS Opens 12-Billion-Shilling Medical Warehouse in Gulu to Boost Health Access in Northern Uganda

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The Joint Medical Store (JMS) has launched a 12-billion-shilling medical warehouse in Gulu City, a major investment expected to transform the distribution and availability of quality medical supplies across Northern Uganda. The state-of-the-art facility, the second JMS branch outside Kampala, marks a milestone in the organization’s drive to decentralize health logistics and improve access to…

Sarafina Sickle Cell Society Gives Hope Rolls To Sickle Cell Warriors in Mukono

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Sickle cell warriors at Mukono General Hospital have received a boost after the Sarafina Sickle Cell Society donated four wheelchairs and more than 2,000 Sickle Scan test kits to improve access to care and mobility support. The donation, supported by U.S.-based partners — My Three Sicklers Foundation and Sickle Forward — targets vulnerable patients, especially…

What’s a community health worker? In this Ugandan village, she’s a one-woman support network

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Dorothy Kirunda is what she has to be: a health provider, counsellor, social justice campaigner, witness, teacher, engine of charity and adoptive mother. 10 October 2025 by James Karuga In Kiyindi, a bustling, densely-populated rural fishing town on Lake Victoria’s shores in Uganda, Dorothy Kirunda, a local community health worker (CHW) sits, listening to Aisha…

Uganda Launches First Amphibian Plane to Serve Island Communities on Lake Victoria

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Uganda’s first amphibian aircraft designed to serve ordinary citizens was officially launched on Tuesday, marking a new chapter in connecting remote island communities on Lake Victoria. The plane will initially serve six islands — Bukasa, Buvuma, Buyovu, and Lingira among them — where access to the mainland has long been a challenge. Speaking at the…

Uganda Pilots Professional Community Health Workforce in Eight Districts

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In Bukedea district, a new generation of health workers is stepping into Uganda’s rural communities — trained, equipped, and paid — to change how healthcare reaches families in the remotest corners. At least 304 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) are currently undergoing training in Bukedea as the government officially rolls out the new program. The…

Traders Say Indian Pharma Imports Burdened by Excessive Regulations

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Traders attending the India-Uganda bilateral policy dialogue have raised concerns over the lack of incentives for importers of pharmaceutical products, saying they are instead strained by what they described as double taxation. According to the traders, many surgical products, including gloves, are subject to multiple verifications. In addition to paying pre-export verification fees in India,…