Uganda Health topics

The Uganda country health profiles provide an overview of the situation and trends of priority health problems and the health systems profile, including a description of institutional frameworks, trends in the national response, key issues and challenges. They promote evidence-based health policymaking through a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the dynamics of the health situation and health system in the country.

Maternal Health

Maternal and newborn health is central to Uganda’s development. Despite progress, mortality remains high, hindering national and global targets. Uganda’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) stands at 189 per 100,000 live births, with a one (1) in 66 lifetime risk of maternal death. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) has decreased from 27 to 22 per 1,000 live births but remains above the SDG target of 12 per 1,000 live births. Teenage pregnancies contribute significantly to mortality, with one (1) in 4 girls aged 15-19 pregnant or already mothers, accounting for 20% of overall maternal deaths.

Most maternal deaths occur during childbirth and the postnatal period due to hemorrhage, infections, and hypertensive disorders. Neonatal deaths stem from birth asphyxia (50%), complications of prematurity (18%), and sepsis (7%). These statistics highlight the need for quality healthcare during labor, childbirth, and the postnatal period is critical to reducing mortality.

Over the last decade, Uganda has achieved a 49% reduction in MMR and a 19% reduction in NMR. This progress was driven by implementation of targeted interventions stipulated in key national policies, strategies, and guidelines of the Ministry of Health such as the Reproductive. Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Sharpened Plan (2022/23-2026/27), adaptation of WHO standards and guidelines for improving quality of maternal and newborn care and implementation of WHO recommended evidence based high impact interventions such as:
* Expanding access to family planning and reproductive health services
* Strengthening emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC)
* Increasing skilled birth attendance with continuous provider training
* Institutionalizing Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR)
* Promoting community engagement for antenatal care, facility deliveries, and postnatal care

Despite progress, several barriers continue to hinder improvements in maternal and newborn health. These include financial barriers and delays in care, health system gaps, and high teenage pregnancy rates.

To accelerate progress and achieve sustainable reductions in maternal and newborn mortality, Uganda is prioritizing:
1. Increasing domestic resources for health by investing in maternal and newborn health is a catalyst for economic growth. 
2. Strengthening primary healthcare and referrals through equipping maternal and neonatal units, expanding quality improvement initiatives, and scaling up emergency care will prevent unnecessary deaths.
3. Empowering pregnant women to ensure eight antenatal visits, promote early screenings, support healthy lifestyles, and provide respectful maternity care, including birth companions, pain relief, and mobility during labor.
4. Investing in health workforce to expand training, deployment, and retention strategies, scale up digital Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and enhance skills in neonatal resuscitation and essential newborn care.
5. Multi-sectoral collaboration to address gender inequality, poverty, and education gaps to delay first pregnancies, reduce adolescent births, and improve maternal and newborn outcomes.
6. Scaling up community-based newborn health initiatives to promote early and exclusive breastfeeding, expand Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), and strengthening community health worker networks to ensure essential newborn care reaches every home.

Climate change

Climate change poses a significant threat to public health in Uganda. It is impacting the prevalence and distribution of water-, food-, and vector-borne diseases, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and droughts which have significant negative effect on the already fragile health system. 

The WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14) for 2025-2028 prioritizes climate change and health as a key strategic objective. WHO aims to bolster climate-resilient health systems to protect populations from escalating health risks due to climate change. This includes promoting lower-carbon health societies and guiding progress towards health systems that are both climate-resilient and low-carbon. WHO's strategic focus will drive the scale-up of evidence-based interventions, foster synergies between climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, and prioritize vulnerable populations

The WHO Country Office, Uganda, in collaboration with the Ugandan Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders, is committed to implementing climate change interventions to enhance the resilience of the health system and protect vulnerable populations. Through this collaboration, the first ever climate change and health Vulnerability Adaptation Assessment (VAA) was conducted; which informed the development of the first Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP) for Uganda. WHO continues to advocate for climate financing in support of the Government’s implementation for the H-NAP.
 
Uganda is particularly vulnerable to the socio-economic impacts of climate change due to its reliance on natural resources. The country has experienced increased adverse weather patterns, including prolonged droughts, landslides, and devastating floods in the recent years causing mortality, destroying property, food crops, contaminated water access points and disrupted health service delivery.

According to the VAA conducted in 2023, nearly half (47.6%) of the Health care facilities were exposed to drought, 39.7% to floods, 31.1% to storms, 12% to water level rise, 11.7% to landslides, 8.9% to lightening, 2.0% to heat wave and 0.1% to a cold wave. The assessment found that a significant proportion of the Health care facilities exhibited high vulnerability to the above climate change-related hazards because they were unprepared. This highlights the urgent need for adaptive strategies. The health risks associated with these extreme weather events are aggravated with the ill-unprepared health system.

To address these challenges, Uganda must prioritize the development and implementation of robust adaptive strategies. This includes investing in climate-resilient infrastructure for health care facilities, enhancing early warning systems, and improving community awareness and preparedness. Strengthening the health system's capacity to respond to climate-related emergencies is crucial. Additionally, integrating climate change considerations into national health policies and planning can help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events. Collaboration with international organizations and neighboring countries can also provide valuable support and resources to bolster Uganda's resilience against climate change. By taking these proactive measures, Uganda can better protect its population and ensure the sustainability of its health care services in the face of growing climate threats.
 

TB/Leprosy

With an estimated 96,000 new cases of Tuberculosis (TB) reported annually, Uganda is among the 30 high-burden countries affected by both TB and TB-HIV co-infection. In 2023, approximately 86,000 TB patients were diagnosed, leaving about 10,000 cases undetected and untreated allowing continued transmission within communities. Approximately 35% of notified TB cases are co-infected with HIV, and around 2% involve drug-resistant TB, complicating treatment and recovery.  Behind these numbers are real people: mothers, fathers, children, and breadwinners whose dreams are interrupted by TB.

At the same time, although leprosy was eliminated as a public health problem two decades ago, recent data shows a resurgence in cases from 180 annually to approximately 350.  Alarmingly, 21% of these cases involve Grade II disabilities, pointing to delayed diagnosis. Additionally, child leprosy cases have risen from 8% to 13%, indicating ongoing transmission at the community level.

In response, the Ministry of Health (MoH), with support from WHO and other partners, is implementing  comprehensive TB/leprosy Programme aimed at ending TB and achieving zero leprosy by 2030. 

Despite some challenges, the programme has made commendable progress across many indicators, especially in reaching people with TB and leprosy. Community involvement expanded TB screening, and chest X-rays aligned with WHO recommendations have increased case detection, even among asymptomatic individuals.

WHO continues to work closely with Uganda’s Ministry of Health, providing technical support, expertise, and innovative solutions to ensure the country meets international health standards while addressing local needs.

The integrated community-led TB program, CAST-TB+, has demonstrated a significant impact. In 2024 CAST-TB +, reached 1,218,371 individuals with TB, HIV, and malaria screening. As a result, 4,898 TB cases, 499 HIV cases, and 44,868 malaria cases were diagnosed. Additionally, 8,208 people living with HIV received essential TB preventive therapy.

Beyond infectious diseases, the initiative also tackled malnutrition, identifying 29,504 children under five with moderate to severe malnutrition and 506 pregnant and lactating mothers affected by malnutrition out of 15,947 screened using the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Moreover, this initiative campaign revealed that 28,007 individuals lacked access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, underscoring critical gaps in essential services.

These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated service delivery that addresses TB, HIV, malaria, malnutrition, WASH, and non-infectious diseases collectively. Strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration and embedding these essential services into routine healthcare will enhance efficiency, improve health outcomes, and ensure that no one is left behind. These efforts are aligned with Uganda’s National TB and Leprosy Strategic Plan 2020–2025, which focuses on decentralizing services, improving TB detection, and integrating TB-HIV services at all levels of care.

There is need to also address the specific challenges that TB poses for men and young people. In many communities, TB is still a stigmatized disease, contributing to delays in seeking care. Tailored interventions are needed to ensure no one is left behind.

Malaria:

Malaria continues to be a leading cause of illness and death in Uganda. In 2023 alone, the country recorded over 16 million cases and 2793 deaths, most of them among children under five. Behind each statistic lies a child, a mother, a family and a future cut short. Despite this heavy burden, Uganda has made remarkable strides. The Government has scaled up the distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets, expanded diagnosis and treatment, and implemented indoor residual spraying in high-burden districts.

In a historic milestone for child survival, Uganda introduced the malaria vaccine into its routine immunization programme in 2024. This is a landmark decision that offers new hope, especially for children living in areas of high malaria transmission. While it is not a silver bullet, the vaccine is a powerful new tool in our arsenal. When combined with insecticide-treated nets, chemoprevention, and prompt effective treatment, it could significantly reduce malaria mortality among children under five.

The fight against malaria is anchored in two key frameworks, Uganda’s Malaria Reduction and Elimination Strategic Plan and the Malaria Mortality Reduction Strategy, developed with WHO support. These plans chart a clear path forward. But without sustained domestic financing, political will, and community engagement, their full potential will remain unrealized.

The malaria vaccine must reach every eligible child. Equity must guide our delivery systems, ensuring access for all, especially those in hard-to-reach or post-conflict areas. Special attention is needed for children under five, Pregnant women, people with disabilities, People living with HIV, school children and Adolescents.

Uganda's leadership in signing the Yaoundé Declaration, alongside ten other African countries, is another powerful commitment. It signals our intention to end malaria deaths and hold each other accountable for results. Worth to note that Uganda become the first of the 11 high malaria burden countries to implement the resolutions of the Yaoundé Declaration and developed a Malaria Mortality Reduction Strategy: a strategic roadmap towards ending malaria deaths. But we must walk the talk by tracking progress, funding our strategies, and building local capacity.

Tobacco

In 2007, Uganda embarked on a transformative journey in tobacco control by ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This landmark decision paved the way for comprehensive legislative advancements aimed at safeguarding public health. These efforts culminated in 2015 with the enactment of the Tobacco Control Act, a pivotal moment in Uganda's tobacco control landscape.

In 2022, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a strategic initiative to empower local law enforcers initially in five regions, with five more currently being added to strengthen enforcement capacity.

From 2022 to 2024, WHO and the Ministry conducted rigorous training programmes in Bugisu, Busoga, Greater Masaka, Bunyoro, and Kigezi, equipping over 155 law enforcers with specialized skills in inspection, public awareness, enforcement operations, compliance assessment, and prosecution. The impact was both immediate and significant, as trained officers began proactively enforcing smoke-free environment laws in their respective urban centers.

WHO remains committed to supporting Uganda’s tobacco control efforts through policy development, technical guidance, capacity building, and strong collaboration with the government and partners to protect current and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco.