Malaria, HIV infections decline as Uganda’s health outcomes improve
Health minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi launched the report on November 4, 2026, at an event held at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo.
Health minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi launched the report on November 4, 2026, at an event held at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo. (Credit: Ministry of Health)
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New malaria and HIV infections declined in Uganda in the 2025/26 financial year, while tuberculosis treatment success and maternal health indicators improved, according to the annual health sub-programme performance report.
Malaria incidence fell from 261 to 223 cases per 1,000 people, while HIV incidence dropped from 1.23 to 0.71 per 1,000 people.
The tuberculosis treatment success rate increased from 86% to 92%, while viral suppression among people living with HIV reached 97%. Retention on antiretroviral therapy (ART) also improved to 83%.
Health minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi launched the report on November 4, 2026, at an event held at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo.
The report, which assesses health sector performance, indicated gains in immunisation, access to health services, sanitation and health facility readiness. However, health financing, staffing and access to some essential services remained major challenges.
Facility-based deliveries
Facility-based deliveries increased from 1.49 million to 1.69 million, with Health Centre IIIs and IVs accounting for 69% of births recorded in health facilities.
The Service Availability and Readiness Index, which measures health facilities' capacity to provide essential services, improved from 49% to 59%.
The institutional maternal mortality ratio declined from 83 to 61.7 deaths per 100,000 deliveries, while the institutional perinatal mortality rate fell from 15.4 to 13.7 deaths per 1,000 deliveries.
Health services
Availability of essential medicines improved, with the proportion of facilities meeting tracer medicine requirements rising from 22% to 42%.
The electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), a digital platform that enables community health workers to capture and report household and patient information, expanded from 24 to 56 districts.
Electronic medical records also expanded from 56 to 138 public health facilities.
Outpatient attendance for hypertension, diabetes and epilepsy also increased, reflecting growing demand for care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
However, the report indicates that NCD treatment coverage remained below desired performance levels, despite the increase in attendance.
Patient satisfaction
Client satisfaction with health services rose nationally from 63% in the 2024/25 financial year to 72% in 2025/26.
The report recorded gains in Acholi, where satisfaction increased from 39% to 61%; West Nile, from 53% to 67%; Lango, from 66% to 78%; Kigezi, from 74% to 80%; and Bunyoro, from 62% to 72%.
Ankole and Kigezi maintained satisfaction levels above 80%, although Karamoja and Northern Buganda registered slight declines.
Despite the improvement in satisfaction, the report points to weaknesses in performance monitoring and client feedback systems in some regions.
National health facility delivery coverage stood at 71%, below the 73% target.
Coverage was lower in South Buganda, Bunyoro and Busoga, as well as in some northern and north-eastern local governments.
The report notes that cross-boundary use of referral facilities around Kampala may partly explain lower coverage in neighbouring districts and higher coverage in the city. Distance and transport costs also limit access to maternity services in some areas.
It recommends strengthening birth preparedness during antenatal care, expanding transport support where necessary and ensuring round-the-clock basic emergency obstetric and newborn care at Health Centre IIIs.
Financing and staffing pressures
The health sector's share of the national budget fell from 7.7% to 6.2%, while total health expenditure per capita dropped from $57.2 to $55.5.
Out-of-pocket health expenditure increased from 28% to 30.3%, leaving households to meet a larger share of healthcare costs.
Public-sector staffing levels remained critically low at approximately 34%, while general hospital inpatient mortality increased compared with the previous financial year.
The report also identified setbacks in maternal and child health services.
Antenatal care attendance for four or more visits remained below target and declined marginally. Maternal ART coverage fell from 95% to 86%, while modern contraceptive prevalence declined slightly and unmet need for family planning increased from 24% to 27.2%.
Institutional maternal deaths at Health Centre III level increased from 39 to 58.
DPT3 immunisation coverage fell from 104% to 92%, while Hepatitis B birth-dose coverage remained at 62%, below the 90% target.
Community health reporting also weakened, with declines in village health team quarterly reporting and household registration.
Persistent gaps
Teenage pregnancy remained largely unchanged, while nutrition indicators, including stunting and wasting, showed little measurable improvement, partly because of limited new assessment data.
In his remarks, the minister said there was a need to assess whether the investments were making a meaningful improvement in the quality of life of ordinary people.
“Beyond all these figures are human beings whose quality of life we must improve. We must critically examine whether health care services are becoming more accessible and people-centred," Dr Baryomunsi noted.
He further noted that every resource entrusted to the sector delivers maximum value to citizens.
"As the government, we are committed to accelerating reforms that strengthen service delivery at all levels of care. Priority attention will continue to be directed towards maternal and child health."