Uganda’s healthcare goes digital
Uganda’s health sector has received a major boost as the Ministry of Health was handed 95 laptops and 130 scanners, worth Shs 865 million , from the Germany Foreign Office through WHO Uganda.
The equipment is part of ongoing efforts to digitise health service delivery and scale up electronic medical records (EMR) systems in public health facilities.
Keep Reading
- > Health Minister Aceng Advocates for Skilled Birth Assistance, Advises Against TBAs for Safer Childbirth
- > Uganda's Ministry of Health Launches Second Phase of Cold Chain Equipment to Boost Immunisation Efforts
- > 15% of pregnant women in Uganda face childbirth complications- officials
- > Uganda Reports 108 Mpox Cases, Strengthens Response with WHO Support
Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, underscored the significance of this donation, stating, “We are setting up a complete system of electronic medical records in all health facilities.
However, we still need to invest heavily in computers and network equipment to facilitate the roll-out and scaling of the system in these facilities.
” The move is expected to address long-standing issues with paper-based medical records, which have often slowed down patient care and created administrative bottlenecks.
The digitization initiative aims to modernize Uganda’s healthcare sector by improving data management and enhancing access to real-time medical information.
With EMR systems in place, healthcare workers will be able to access patients’ medical histories faster, make informed decisions on treatment, and minimize medical errors.
WHO estimates that adopting EMR can lead to a 30% improvement in healthcare efficiency, reducing patient waiting times and streamlining service delivery.
The Ministry of Health is prioritising the integration of these systems into over 150 public health facilities, which will directly benefit underserved communities across the country.
Germany’s contribution to this effort comes as part of its broader commitment to supporting Uganda’s healthcare development.
Hans von Schroeder, the German Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in transforming the country’s health infrastructure.
“We believe that by supporting the digitisation of medical records in Uganda, we are playing a part in ensuring timely access to healthcare by all who need it,” he said.
Germany has been instrumental in offering financial and technological support, further strengthening Uganda’s capacity to deliver modern healthcare services to its citizens.
In addition to Germany’s role, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been a critical partner in promoting the digitisation of healthcare in Uganda.
Dr. Christine Musanhu, Officer in Charge at WHO Uganda, praised the scaling up of electronic medical records, noting its alignment with WHO’s mission.
“Scaling up Electronic Medical Records is an area WHO and its partners like the Federal Republic of Germany are happy to support.
It resonates well with our vision of improving the country’s health system to meet the needs of its population,” she said.
The Ministry of Health anticipates that with continued investment, the full roll-out of EMR systems in all public health facilities will be achieved by 2025, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s journey toward a modern, efficient healthcare system.