Sweden boosts Uganda's Ebola response, maternal care with shs7bn injection

By Salmah Namwanje | Monday, March 17, 2025
Sweden boosts Uganda's Ebola response, maternal care with shs7bn injection
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Sweden has reaffirmed its commitment to improving child and maternal health in Uganda with a $2 million contribution to UNICEF Uganda which is approximately shs7.3 billion.

The funds will support the Ministry of Health’s Ebola response and enhance maternal health services at Kawempe and Arua Regional Referral Hospitals, strengthening Uganda’s healthcare system, which continues to face major funding gaps.

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Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, visited Uganda’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and Kawempe National Referral Hospital today.

His visit highlighted Sweden’s dedication to strengthening Uganda’s healthcare system, particularly in areas impacting women and children.

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Despite efforts to improve healthcare delivery, government hospitals in Uganda struggle with severe shortages of essential medical supplies, understaffing, and limited infrastructure.

Facilities such as Kawempe National Referral Hospital often operate under overwhelming patient loads, with reports of expectant mothers sharing beds due to inadequate space.

Arua Regional Referral Hospital, serving a vast population in West Nile, also faces similar challenges, including insufficient maternal care resources and limited access to emergency services.

Health experts have long called for increased investment in primary healthcare, emergency response, and maternal health to address these gaps.

According to Uganda’s Ministry of Health, public hospitals still face critical shortages of medical personnel, with doctor-to-patient and nurse-to-patient ratios far below the recommended standards. Many facilities also lack functional ambulances, surgical equipment, and life-saving drugs.

The new funding from Sweden will bolster Uganda’s Ebola response efforts, focusing on: Risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control measures, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) improvements, nutrition and mental health support

This initiative will not only protect children and families from potential health crises but also reinforce Uganda’s preparedness against future outbreaks.

Additionally, Sweden has remained a key partner in supporting maternal and child health programs.

The investments in Kawempe and Arua Regional Referral Hospitals aim to improve service delivery, ensuring that expectant mothers and newborns receive adequate care, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.

UNICEF Uganda has welcomed Sweden’s support, emphasizing that every child and mother deserves a healthier future.

The contribution comes at a time when Uganda continues to seek more international partnerships to bridge the widening funding gap in the healthcare sector.

Health experts and civil society organizations are urging more sustained international and domestic investment in Uganda’s healthcare system

 

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