Public health surveillance across the Kampala Metropolitan Area (KMA) shows troubling disparities, with Kampala persistently lagging in reporting completeness and timeliness. New weekly surveillance data reveals that while Mukono district maintained reporting completeness above 70% and Wakiso hovered between 60–70%, Kampala’s performance averaged below 35%, underscoring ongoing systemic challenges.
Mukono’s strong performance points to effective coordination and follow-up, while the decline in Wakiso in recent weeks suggests emerging system fatigue. Kampala’s persistently low rates indicate reporting bottlenecks that could hamper timely outbreak detection and response.
Maternal and Perinatal Deaths Concentrated in Kampala
Maternal and perinatal deaths remain disproportionately high in Kampala. The district recorded the majority of maternal deaths, with spikes during epidemiological weeks 2, 6, and 14. These trends suggest continued gaps in emergency obstetric care.
Perinatal deaths followed a similar pattern, with Kampala reporting the highest numbers and peaks in weeks 6 and 12. Mukono and Wakiso had fewer deaths but showed occasional spikes. The data highlights the urgent need for strengthened maternal and newborn health services, particularly in urban centres.
Respiratory Disease Surveillance Shows Seasonal Peaks
Syndromic surveillance for Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) across 32 health facilities in the KMA indicates a sharp rise in early 2025. The increase in case detection followed the rollout of the Pan-Respiratory Disease Surveillance (PRDS) strategy, suggesting both a seasonal uptick and improved surveillance sensitivity.
As of May 20, 2025, 1,057 cases had been enrolled, with 920 samples tested at the Uganda Virus Research Institute. The results showed 134 positive cases for influenza and 25 for SARS-CoV-2. RSV was detected among children under two, with positive results from Mukono and Nsambya hospitals.
Mpox Leads Community Alert Signals
Event-based surveillance shows that most alerts in the KMA were related to Mpox. Measles alerts were also reported, with samples collected, alongside one case related to a dog bite. Mukono and parts of Kampala registered the highest number of alerts, indicating active community-level surveillance in high-risk zones.
Emergency Medical Services Unevenly Distributed
A review of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) evacuation facilities shows concentration in Kampala and central Wakiso, with sparse coverage in peripheral and island areas such as Buvuma and Koome. This uneven distribution suggests urban centres are better served during emergencies, while underserved regions face delays in access to care.
The surveillance bulletin underscores the need for sustained investment in health system resilience, with specific focus on improving Kampala’s reporting infrastructure, addressing maternal and newborn mortality, and closing EMS access gaps in outlying communities.
