Uganda’s health system is facing mounting pressure, with new data showing a rise in maternal deaths alongside a surge in infectious diseases, according to an analysis of the Ministry of Health’s Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin for Week 13 (March 23–29, 2026). The data reveals that 21 maternal deaths were recorded in a single week, up from…
Civil society organisations in Uganda have raised concerns over limited involvement in the planned rollout of a new long-acting antiretroviral drug, lenacapavir for HIV prevention, urging authorities to ensure inclusive planning and community engagement. The concerns emerged during a virtual meeting convened by HEPS-Uganda on March 17, 2026, which brought together 53 HIV prevention advocates.…
The Ministry of Health Uganda has intensified the rollout of routine and newly introduced vaccines following confirmed measles outbreaks in several parts of the country. Health officials say the campaign, being implemented through Integrated Child Health Days and expanded community outreach, aims to close immunisation gaps and boost coverage among vulnerable populations. Joanita Nalwanga, a…
The United States government has transferred more than $100 million worth of digital health infrastructure to Uganda, in a move aimed at strengthening health security and advancing national self-reliance. The handover, which took place at the Ministry of Health Uganda in Kampala on March 31, includes digital health platforms, data systems, equipment, and select personnel…
Researchers at the Makerere University Lung Institute are calling for a nationwide rollout of targeted interventions to improve tuberculosis (TB) screening and treatment uptake among men. The call follows a six-year study conducted in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which found that simple, gender-sensitive adjustments in TB services can significantly…
In many Ugandan homes, the birth of a child is a moment of celebration. But for thousands of families each year, that joy is quickly overshadowed by a diagnosis that can shape a child’s entire life. Across Uganda, about 20,000 babies are born annually with sickle cell disease—a genetic condition that causes severe pain, recurrent…
For over a decade, Uganda was hailed as a success story in the fight against malaria. Between 2009 and 2019, parasite prevalence among children under five fell from 45% to just 9%. But new data signals a worrying reversal. The 2024 Malaria Indicator Survey shows prevalence has risen to 12.5%, with some regions recording even…
At Butabika National Referral Hospital, wards meant for a few hundred patients are now filled far beyond capacity, with some patients sharing space as demand for mental health care surges. Doctors and nurses move quickly between patients, many of them young, as the country faces a growing mental health crisis. Juliet Nakku says the number…
Health workers in Kalangala District have raised concern that excessive alcohol consumption is undermining efforts to prevent HIV in the island district. They say widespread alcoholism is driving risky sexual behaviour and weakening community commitment to HIV prevention. Edinance Nalubega, in-charge of the ART clinic at Lulamba Health Centre III in Bufumira Sub-county, says many…
Leaders in Agago District, with support from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), have launched a door-to-door hygiene and sanitation verification campaign across several sub-counties to address poor sanitation and prevent disease outbreaks. The exercise, currently underway in Kuywee, Lirakato, Lokole, and Wol sub-counties, targets villages including Atut Arweny, Kidunga, Lapwa, Agwata Wil, Omukugungu, Lakwil, and…