Uganda News

At a  bustling outpatient clinic on the outskirts of Kampala, a nurse reaches for a thermometer—slim, silvery, and fragile. It’s a mercury-containing device, once a staple in healthcare, now recognized as a silent hazard. Uganda is taking bold steps to eliminate such risks and transition toward mercury-free healthcare.

As Uganda faces mounting challenges in financing its health sector amid declining donor support, the government is committed to ensuring that health is prioritized across all sectors. The Government of Uganda convened a three-day high-level national dialogue on health financing for Uganda convened in Kampala by the Ministry of Health, East African Community (EAC), World Health Organization (WHO), and other development partners.

In Uganda, a country that shoulders the third-highest burden of malaria cases globally, time has become both the enemy and the solution. Every hour a patient goes untreated, the risk of complications and death grows exponentially. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Health, with technical support from World Health Organization (WHO), launched the “24.2 hours initiative” on 25 April 2025. This is a transformative malaria strategy designed to save lives by racing against the clock.

In the heart of every health emergency lies a silent battle, one that is fought not with syringes or stethoscopes, but with an unwavering commitment to uphold the dignity and safety of every individual. As the world grapples with the relentless waves of health crises, the imperative to shield the vulnerable from the shadows of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) becomes paramount.

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. 

Approximately 35% of notified TB cases are co-infected with HIV, and around 2% involve drug-resistant TB, complicating treatment and recovery.

One day, a couple is at home discussing dinner plans, sharing stories about work, and dreaming about the future.  In an instant, everything changes. One partner is gone, taken by a dreaded disease that sends everyone into a panic: Ebola.

When Dr Ezra Mupakasa first developed a fever and headache on January 25, 2025, he suspected it might be something common - fatigue, perhaps, or an ordinary viral infection. As a health worker at Saidina Abubakar Islamic Hospital in Uganda, he was used to being cautious and seeing patients come and go with all sorts of symptoms. 

This time, recalls Dr Mupakasa, the signs pointed to something more serious. A few days later, the confirmation came: a positive PCR test. Dr Mupakasa had attended to the index case.

In a busy dental clinic, a dentist carefully prepares a dental amalgam, a common material used for fillings. This amalgam, a mixture of metals including mercury, has been widely used in dental practices for decades due to its durability and cost-effectiveness.

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, inaugurated the second National Tobacco Control Committee (NTCC) during a high-level event held in Kampala. This milestone marks a renewed national commitment to enforcing the Tobacco Control Act and protecting citizens, especially the youth and vulnerable, from the harmful effects of tobacco.