The State Minister of Health for General Duties, Hon. Anifa Kawooya Bangirana, has pledged to prioritize emergency care services in Uganda’s national health planning.
Speaking as the chief guest during the World Emergency Service Day commemorations held in Kampala, the minister assured stakeholders that both trainers and trainees in emergency care will be considered in recruitment and government support efforts.
“We recognize the urgency of having trained personnel in emergency care,” Hon. Kawooya said. “The government is committed to integrating these professionals into the national health system.”
Her remarks come amid rising concern from health experts over the lack of trained first responders, particularly among police officers and boda boda cyclists, who are often the first on scene during road accidents. Uganda continues to grapple with a staggering 14 road accident deaths daily, a crisis partly blamed on poor handling and delayed evacuation of victims.
A 2024 national survey on emergency, critical, and operative care conducted by Seed Global Health has highlighted severe gaps in emergency care provision. According to the findings, the country suffers from a critical shortage of specialists, most of whom are concentrated in major urban areas.
“The situation is dire,” said Irene Atuhaire, Country Director of Seed Global Health. “There is insufficient knowledge among health workers in both Basic and Advanced Life Support. Many facilities are under-equipped to respond to emergencies effectively.”
Experts at the event emphasized the urgent need for widespread emergency care training across all sectors, especially in rural and peri-urban areas where the majority of road crashes occur.
Stakeholders now await actionable steps from the Ministry of Health to address what many are calling a national emergency within the healthcare system.