Soroti Health Center in Darkness: Midwives Deliver Babies by Torchlight as Power Crisis Sparks Confrontation

A month-long power outage at Asuret Health Centre III in Soroti District has plunged the facility into crisis, severely affecting night operations and emergency medical services. The health center relies on solar power, but the system shuts down around 8 PM, forcing nurses and midwives to rely on torches for critical procedures, including childbirth. Midwives…

Uganda’s Condom Shortage Worsens as AIDS Care Providers Demand Waiver on Inspection Fees

AIDS care providers in Uganda are urging the government to waive inspection fees on imported condoms to help address the ongoing shortage in the country. The National Drug Authority (NDA) oversees the verification and quality assurance of all imported condoms before they are distributed to Ugandans. While the government scrapped importation fees on medical supplies,…

Kawempe Hospital Sees Sharp Drop in Deliveries but Overcrowding Persists

Kawempe National Referral Hospital has reported a sharp decline in the number of mothers delivering at the facility, raising questions about shifting maternal care trends. Dr. Lawrence Kazibwe, the hospital’s Clinical Head, revealed that while the facility once recorded an average of 30,000 deliveries per year, the number plummeted last year to just 23,000—nearly a…

New HIV drug delivery systems are helping tackle gender-based violence

HIV-blocking prophylactic antivirals in vaginal-ring and injectable form are not only longer-acting than daily pills, they’re also more discreet. 24 February 2025 by Pascalinah Kabi When 30-year-old Ithabeleng Mosele (not her real name) discovered that her husband was having an extramarital affair about a year ago, the fear of being infected with HIV shattered her. “That…

No X-Ray, No Generator, No Firefighters—Bundibugyo Left to Fend for Itself

Residents of Bundibugyo are outraged after two infants died at Bundibugyo General Hospital when a power failure cut off their oxygen supply. The hospital, which has been operating without a functional X-ray machine for seven years, is now facing intense scrutiny over its deteriorating services. The tragic deaths were revealed by Josephine Bebona, the District…

J”Justice for Her, Justice for All: New Initiative Targets Gender-Based Violence in Uganda”

Deputy Chief Justice Designate Dr. Flavian Zeija has launched the Justice 4Her Project, a groundbreaking initiative designed to dismantle barriers that prevent survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) from accessing justice. With a survivor-centered approach, the project seeks to ensure that justice is not a privilege for the few but a right for all, particularly for…

Aging in Agony: Bukomansimbi’s Elderly Cry Out for Lifesaving Healthcare

A growing crisis is unfolding in Bukomansimbi District, where senior citizens are pleading for the government to expand specialized healthcare services before more lives are lost. With no geriatric care available, elderly residents are left vulnerable, suffering in silence as treatable conditions spiral into life-threatening illnesses. 76-year-old Emmanuel Kabayiza, a resident of Lwemiriti village in…

Kasese Struggles to Contain Measles-Rubella Outbreak Amid Funding Crisis

Kasese District is grappling with a measles-rubella outbreak as resource shortages hinder vaccination efforts and community awareness campaigns. At the end of last month, the district confirmed three positive rubella cases, but health officials report no current hospital admissions. The district’s response is heavily constrained due to the suspension of USAID-supported health programs, which previously…