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Geographical Locations - Uganda
 The WWW Virtual Library: Public Health
Categories
Country Information
- (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor: 20,300
- CIA World Factbook : Uganda
Organisations and Networks
UN and Multinational
Government
Non-Government
- ISIS Women's International Cross Cultural Exchange
- Marie Stopes International in Uganda
Marie Stopes International delivers quality family planning and reproductive healthcare to millions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable women.
- Médecins Sans Frontières in Uganda
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organisation that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 60 countries.
- Uganda Human Rights Commission
The Uganda Human Rights Commission is an independent Constitutional body established to promote and protect human rights.
- Women of Uganda Network
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) is a non-governmental organisation initiated in May 2000 by several women's organisations in Uganda to develop the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among women as tools to share information and address issues collectively.
Academic Institutions
National Policy and Related Documents
- National Health Policy: Reducing poverty through promoting people’s health [draft]
"The development of this National Health Policy (NHP II) has been informed by the National Development Program (NDP) for the period 2009/10–2013/14, the overall development agenda for Uganda. The NDP places emphasis on investing in the promotion of people’s health, a fundamental human right for all people. Constitutionally, the Government of Uganda (GoU) has an obligation to provide basic medical services to its people and promote proper nutrition. The Constitution further provides for all people in Uganda to enjoy rights and opportunities and have access to education, health services and clean and safe water. Investing in the promotion of people’s health shall ensure they remain productive and contribute to national development." [published May 2009]
- The Republic of Uganda: Annual Health Sector Performance Report – Financial Year 2007/2008
"The Report is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 is an Introduction and Chapter 2 covers an Overview of the Sector Performance for FY 2007/08 and includes the overall performance of the sector against HSSP indicators; comparison of district performance using the District League Table; comparison of hospital performance using the Hospital League table; and a summary of the financial report. Chapter 3 is a detailed presentation of the delivery of the Uganda National Minimum Health Care Package and Chapter 4 outlines the performance of the Integrated Health Sector Support Systems. Chapter 5 details the Monitoring of the Implementation of the HSSP II focusing on three areas of particular interest namely: HC IV functionality; status of health services in Northern Uganda; monitoring of SWAp implementation, and a review of the Supervision, Monitoring and Mentoring framework." [October 2008]
Reports, Guidelines, and Projects
- Availability and use of emergency obstetric services: Kenya, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, and Uganda
The article summarises the baseline assessments of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) carried out in Uganda, Kenya, Southern Sudan, and Rwanda in 2003 and 2004. Objectives: Our objectives were to: (1) set up program baselines on the availability and utilization of EmOC services in these countries; (2) identify gaps and obstacles in providing EmOC services; and (3) make recommendations to governments based on evidence generated. Methods: Data were collected from clinical record reviews, provider and client interviews, observations, and focus group discussions. Either random or universal sampling was applied in the selection of health facilities assessed. Local nurses and midwives participated in the data collection and, to some extent, data processing and analysis. Results: The coverage of basic EmOC services ranged 0—1.1/500,000 population compared to the UN-recommended level of 4/ 500,000. The coverage of comprehensive EmOC services ranged 0.5—4.3/500,000 compared to the recommended level of 1/500,000. Between 0.6% and 8.8% of all births took place in EmOC facilities, and 2.1% and 18.5% of all expected direct obstetric complications were treated. Cesarean section as a proportion of all births was between 0.1% and 1%. Shortage of trained staff especially mid-level providers, poor basic infrastructure such as lack of electricity and water supplies, inadequate supply of drugs and essential equipment, poor working conditions and staff morale, lack of communication and referral facilities, cost of treatment, and lack of accountability and proper management were identified as the main obstacles in providing 24-h quality EmOC services especially in remote and rural areas. Conclusions: Lack of basic EmOC services limits women’s access to life-saving services during obstetric complications. To reduce maternal mortality ratio the states and development partners need to focus their effort to improve the coverage, quality, and utilization of EmOC services through supportive national policy, effective program strategies, increased budget allocation to maternal health program, rural infrastructure development, and regular monitoring, and evaluation of progress. [author abstract] [International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2005) 88, 208-215]
- Beyond Slogans: Lessons From Uganda's Experience With ABC and HIV/AIDS
"Between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, at a time when HIV/AIDS was well on its way toward ravaging Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda achieved an extraordinary feat: It stopped the spread of HIV/AIDS in its tracks and saw the nation's rate of infection plummet. As word of the "Uganda miracle" spread, journalists, researchers, policymakers and advocates all descended to try to ascertain how it was accomplished. By now, Uganda's success story has become virtually synonymous with the so-called ABC approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, for Abstain, Be faithful, use Condoms. And, indeed, it is clear that some combination of important changes in all three of these sexual behaviors contributed both to Uganda's extraordinary reduction in HIV/AIDS rates and to the country's ability to maintain its reduced rates through the second half of the 1990s. Beyond that, however, the picture becomes considerably less clear." [The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy, December 2003, Volume 6, Number 5]
- Bribery in Health Care in Peru and Uganda
In this paper, I [author, Jennifer Hunt] examine the role of household income in determining who bribes and how much they bribe in health care in Peru and Uganda. I find that rich patients are more likely than other patients to bribe in public health care: doubling household consumption increases the bribery probability by 0.2-0.4 percentage points in Peru, compared to a bribery rate of 0.8%; doubling household expenditure in Uganda increases the bribery probability by 1.2 percentage points compared to a bribery rate of 17%. The income elasticity of the bribe amount cannot be precisely estimated in Peru, but is about 0.37 in Uganda. Bribes in the Ugandan public sector appear to be fees-for-service extorted from the richer patients amongst those exempted by government policy from paying the official fees. Bribes in the private sector appear to be flat-rate fees paid by patients who do not pay official fees. I do not find evidence that the public health care sector in either Peru or Uganda is able to price-discriminate less effectively than public institutions with less competition from the private sector. [author abstract]
- Contracting between faith-based and public health sector in Sub-Saharan Africa: An ongoing crisis? The case of Cameroon, Tanzania, Chad and Uganda
"Contracting between faith-based district hospitals and public health authorities in Africa faces a crisis. This is the main conclusion of a study conducted for the Medicus Mundi International Network by the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), and including cases from Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania and Chad. In spite of the wide variety of contexts and experiences, the different case studies show that contracting between the State and faith-based district health sector has run into great difficulties. To make matters worse, there is no general awareness of the crisis, certainly not among the public sector actors. Unless correcting measures are taken, this almost hidden crisis risks to jeopardize in the medium-term the important contribution which the faith-based facilities make to the provision of care in Africa. The Medicus Mundi International Network is herewith disseminating the results of the study in order to contribute to the development of awareness of the situation and the urgency of change, and this not only in the countries and cases included in the study, but also with international cooperation actors. By helping to disseminate results, we hope to contribute to the joint search for structural solutions." Available in French/Français and English.
- Decentralization and National Health Policy Implementation in Uganda – a Problematic Process
"The increasing decentralization of the health care system in Uganda during the period studied [in this 2004 Swedish thesis by Anders Jeppsson] has not been followed promptly by the implementation of a global national health policy necessary for a decentralized system. It appears as if the government assumed that new health policies could be implemented by means of a fairly uncomplicated process of diffusion. However, an analysis of the near total failure of the BOD/CE initiative shows that implementation of policy in the decentralized system in Uganda is complex and must be understood as a misdirected translation process whose prerequisites were lacking. The main factors that have inhibited the adoption of a new policy and have crated a gap between centre and periphery have been different values, the absence of a common frame of reference, and the lack of government support. As a result, local obligations and local accountability have been the main factors guiding the translation."
- Demand for health care services in Uganda: Implications for poverty reduction
"Using the 2002/03 Uganda National Household Survey data we empirically examine the nature and determinants of individuals’ decisions to seek care on condition of illness reporting. The major findings include: first, cost of care is regressive and substantially reduces the health care utilization for any formal provider by the poorer individuals after controlling for other factors. In other words, even among public facilities cost of care remains a barrier to utilization of these services. Second, there is no doubt that putting in place strategies aimed at increasing the income of the poor will increase their utilization of the health facilities, though the impact will be higher for private care. Third, besides income and cost of care, other factors, in particular education and physical access proxied by distance to the facilities are important determinants of health care utilization." [March 2004]
- Does mass drug administration for the integrated treatment of neglected tropical diseases really work? Assessing evidence for the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted Helminths in Uganda
Background: Less is known about mass drug administration [MDA] for neglected tropical diseases [NTDs] than is suggested by those so vigorously promoting expansion of the approach. This paper fills an important gap: it draws upon local level research to examine the roll out of treatment for two NTDs, schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths, in Uganda. Methods: Ethnographic research was undertaken over a period of four years between 2005-2009 in north-west and south-east Uganda. In addition to participant observation, survey data recording self-reported take-up of drugs for schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths and, where relevant, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis was collected from a random sample of at least 10% of households at study locations. Data recording the take-up of drugs in Ministry of Health registers for NTDs were analysed in the light of these ethnographic and social survey data. Results: The comparative analysis of the take-up of drugs among adults revealed that although most long term residents have been offered treatment at least once since 2004, the actual take up of drugs for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths varies considerably from one district to another and often also within districts. The specific reasons why MDA succeeds in some locations and falters in others relates to local dynamics. Issues such as population movement across borders, changing food supply, relations between drug distributors and targeted groups, rumours and conspiracy theories about the ‘real’ purpose of treatment, subjective experiences of side effects from treatment, alternative understandings of affliction, responses to social control measures and historical experiences of public health control measures, can all make a huge difference. The paper highlights the need to adapt MDA to local circumstances. It also points to specific generalisable issues, notably with respect to health education, drug distribution and more effective use of existing public health legislation. Conclusion: While it has been an achievement to have offered free drugs to so many adults, current standard practices of monitoring, evaluation and delivery of MDA for NTDs are inconsistent and inadequate. Efforts to integrate programmes have exacerbated the difficulties. Improved assessment of what is really happening on the ground will be an essential step in achieving long-term overall reduction of the NTD burden for impoverished communities. [author abstract] [Health Research Policy and Systems 2011, 9: 3]
- Health implications of small arms and light weapons in eastern Uganda
Small arms and light weapons (SALW), or “conventional weapons”, are those that can be operated by one or two individuals and include handguns, assault rifles, machine guns, grenades and landmines. It is estimated that there are 639 million small arms globally and more than half the world’s countries are involved in producing the 7.5-8 million new weapons and 10-14 billion rounds of ammunition annually. These weapons are known to cause the majority of deaths in conflict globally and increase the number of deaths occurring during robbery or assault, as well as enhancing the lethality of suicide. Estimates of the direct death toll due to SALW range widely from 80,000 to 500,000 per year and occur predominantly in the developing world. However, indirect deaths due to SALW are likely much higher than this as they provoke and prolong conflicts, precipitate genocide and disrupt the provision of humanitarian assistance and development initiatives, especially affecting women and children… Uganda is a potential area to study the health effects of SALW. It is a country that has suffered from conflict since independence in 1962. Currently, an eighteen-year war continues in the northern region, with the government fighting the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), an insurgency group characterized by brutal human rights abuses, the abduction of children for use as soldiers and an apocalyptic religious vision. This conflict has been fueled by SALW, leftover from previous Ugandan conflicts, from the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as from sources within the Sudanese government. [International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War] [also published in Medicine, Conflict and Survival, Volume 22, Issue 3, July 2006, pp.207-219]
- HIV/AIDS and Women’s Health in Uganda: Lingering Gender Inequity
The issue of HIV/AIDS and women’s health can be viewed in the context of (1) the unravelling epidemic, (2) the screening of women for HIV and the provision of ongoing surveillance, and (3) hope for the future, even though the battle against HIV has not been won. Ugandan society is patriarchal, and men control many aspects of women’s lives including sexual matters and use of money in the household. The population growth in Uganda is among the highest in the world: 3.4% per annum, and in 2002, the country had a population of 24.4 million. One person in five (22.4%) is a woman of reproductive age. [author abstract] [Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada 2006; 28(11): 980–982]
- Low enrolment in Ugandan Community Health Insurance Schemes: Underlying causes and policy implications
Background: Despite the promotion of Community Health Insurance (CHI) in Uganda in the second half of the 90's, mainly under the impetus of external aid organisations, overall membership has remained low. Today, some 30,000 persons are enrolled in about a dozen different schemes located in Central and Southern Uganda. Moreover, most of these schemes were created some 10 years ago but since then, only one or two new schemes have been launched. The dynamic of CHI has apparently come to a halt. Methods: A case study evaluation was carried out on two selected CHI schemes: the Ishaka and the Save for Health Uganda (SHU) schemes. The objective of this evaluation was to explore the reasons for the limited success of CHI. The evaluation involved review of the schemes' records, key informant interviews and exit polls with both insured and non-insured patients. Results: Our research points to a series of not mutually exclusive explanations for this underachievement at both the demand and the supply side of health care delivery. On the demand side, the following elements have been identified: lack of basic information on the scheme's design and operation, limited understanding of the principles underlying CHI, limited community involvement and lack of trust in the management of the schemes, and, last but not least, problems in people's ability to pay the insurance premiums. On the supply-side, we have identified the following explanations: limited interest and knowledge of health care providers and managers of CHI, and the absence of a coherent policy framework for the development of CHI. Conclusion: The policy implications of this study refer to the need for the government to provide the necessary legislative, technical and regulative support to CHI development. The main policy challenge however is the need to reconcile the government of Uganda's interest in promoting CHI with the current policy of abolition of user fees in public facilities. [author abstract] [BMC Health Services Research 2007, 7:105]
- Only Peace Can Restore the Confidence of the Displaced
This updated report (2nd edition) assesses the Implementation of the Recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General’s Representative on Internally Displaced Persons following his visit to Uganda - Published October 2006.
- Private health insurance in Uganda: Bridging the gap in public health provision?
This article [by Emma Michelle Taylor] discusses two organisations currently providing voluntary private health insurance in Uganda and considers their contributions to bridging the gap in provision in the country's public health sector. [author abstract] [Development in Practice, 18:1, 131-135]
Educational Resources
Original website founded Lucien E. Schlosser and Eberhard Wenzel, 1997.
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