Uganda has marked its first-ever Emergency Medicine Day with a renewed and urgent call for increased investment and development of the country’s emergency medical care systems.
The Ministry of Health, in partnership with key stakeholders, used the occasion to highlight the persistent gaps in emergency care, which continue to claim lives across the country.
Speaking at the event, Dr. John Baptist Waniaye, Commissioner of Emergency Health Services at the Ministry of Health, emphasised the gravity of the situation.
“We continue to record high numbers of deaths from trauma, road traffic accidents, infectious diseases, and mental health crises,”Dr. John noted
“It is essential that emergency medicine be prioritised to ensure rapid, skilled response to life-threatening conditions.”
The commemoration, led by Minister of State for Health (General Duties) Hanifa Kawooya, brought together government officials and partners who reviewed the country’s progress since a 2018 emergency care system assessment by the World Health Organisation.
While there have been advancements, such as an increased number of Type C ambulances in some urban centers, rural areas remain significantly underserved. Many upcountry ambulances are Type A, lacking vital equipment like oxygen, defibrillators, and trained emergency personnel.
Dr. Herbert Luswata, President of the Uganda Medical Association, highlighted the critical lack of diagnostic tools.
“Even referral hospitals like Mulago often do not have functioning X-rays, ultrasound machines, or CT scanners. This forces patients with serious injuries to be referred elsewhere, losing precious time that could save lives,” Dr. Herbert noted. Luswata stressed the need for both equipment and a robust, well-trained emergency medical workforce.
Irene Atuhairwe, Country Director of Seed Global Health, echoed this concern, stressing the need for decentralized emergency care.
“We must train and deploy enough emergency professionals so that patients in Gulu or other remote areas don’t have to wait for help from Kampala,”Said Atuhairwe.
She noted that about 70% of Uganda’s emergency cases are trauma-related, and urban centers see many young people especially those aged 20 to 29 dying from road traffic accidents due to inadequate emergency response.
Despite the establishment of emergency medicine training programs at Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology, many qualified professionals are not absorbed into the public health sector. Dr. Luswata called for increased budgetary support to recruit and deploy emergency physicians nationwide.
Stakeholders also called on the public to play a responsible role during emergencies. Instead of filming accident scenes, citizens were urged to provide basic first aid and promptly contact emergency services. Greater public education, improved policy support, and better-equipped facilities were emphasised as key steps toward strengthening Uganda’s emergency care system.
As the country commemorates this important milestone, the message is clear, without urgent investment and systemic reform, Uganda’s emergency care system will continue to struggle and lives will continue to be lost needlessly.