An Overview of Nursing Services in
Uganda
Uganda UK Alliance
by
Enid Mwebaza
Assistant Commissioner health Services Nursing
Ministry of Health
12th February 2013
Focus of this presentation
1. Brief background of the Nursing profession in
Uganda
2. The situation analysis
3. Critical gaps in the nursing profession
4. Future plans for Uganda UK Alliance
Background of nursing profession in Uganda
• (1914- 1918) The first healing and training centre
• 1919 Midwifery training under the Uganda Medical
Services at Mengo.
• 1930 Nurses training at Enrolled level
• 1956 April 12th The Uganda Nurses and Midwives`
Council was formed
Background 2
• 1952 Mulago hospital
opened.
• 1961 Registered General
Nursing
• 1967 Midwifery Course
Background 3
• To date the total of practicing nurses in
the public facilities :
- No of nurses - 6724
- No of Midwives - 4656
• Serving a population of about 34m
• Very few highly specialized nurses
Situation analysis

Nursing Department heads the largest health
workforce (more than 60%) in the health sector.

Nurses deliver 90% of the health services in the
country covering curative, preventive and rehabilitative
services.
•
Strengthened nursing leadership with clear and
specific policy guidelines in line with the
implementation of Ministry of Health Strategic Plan.
SITUATION ANALYSIS 2
Mission
 To promote a health workforce that is appropriately
skilled, well balanced, distributed, committed and
performing efficiently and effectively in order to
provide quality health care of individuals, families and
communities in Uganda
Mandate
 To strengthen nursing standards and maintain quality
nursing services in the country, in accordance with the
National Health Policy
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Delivering on health priorities: Maternal
Mortality
• Persistently high maternal mortality ratio of 438 per
100,000 (UDHS 2011)
– Estimated 26% of preventable maternal deaths
caused by unsafe abortion
• Increasing access to post-abortion care by training
more midwives and ensuring implementation of the
current legal framework on abortion would save
thousands of lives of pregnant women
SITUATION ANALYSIS
3
Health advocacy and Uganda’s Parliament
• Successful advocacy effort by Parliament and Civil
Society to secure increased investment in health
workforce
• FY2012-2013 allocation to health workforce
increased as a result of advocacy demanding for an
additional 6,172 professional health workers to be
deployed at HCIII/IVs
• More than doubling of the wages of medical doctors
at HCIVs
CRITICAL GAPS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE NURSING
PROFESSION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Nursing Education and career building
Nursing Practice
Nursing Leadership/advocacy
Social Positioning of Nursing profession -Balancing
of Nurses’ Association and Nurses’ Union
Nursing Regulation, and standards
Resources for Nursing
Nursing Research
Nursing Policy
CRITICAL GAPS IN THE NURSING PROFESSION 2
1.
The country is experiencing a sharp decline in the
standards and quality of nurses
- a need for specialized nurses at various levels
- insufficient in quality and quantity
- Training of many nursing cadres at various levels
- Training is not well coordinated between MoH
and Ministry of Education
CRITICAL GAPS IN THE NURSING PROFESSION 3
2. Strengthening of the Nursing practice
•
•
•
Improvement in Service delivery- setting of standards
Quality of service – evidence based care
Human resource issues (attraction and retention)
Improved working environment - Ensuring patient safety
Streamlining ‘Scope of practice’
 Harmonization and accreditation of CPDs programmes
-
CRITICAL GAPS IN THE NURSING PROFESSION 4
3. Development of a strategic direction for nursing
and midwifery services:
- Lack of succession planning
- role models for nursing - senior nurses that young
ones can look up to and learn from
- enabling environment for nursing leaders in
delivering meaningful change
- developing structures supportive of nursing
leadership
CRITICAL GAPS IN THE NURSING PROFESSION 5
4. To address issues of Social Positioning of
the Nursing profession- Nurses not
satisfied with the public image
 The
profession is not well positioned to attract
the best candidates for training as future
professionals
 Balancing the functions of a Nurses’ Association
and Nurses’ Union as required by the
international bodies (ICN, ICM, ILO)
Future plans for Uganda UK Alliance
To address the challenges that have been highlighted as
a potential threat for the nursing profession
• Through mentorship, exchange programmes, the
nursing department in particular, will have an
opportunity to implement the National Health Policy
within the context of globalisation, liberalisation, and
macroeconomic policy setting.
• To build consensus among stakeholders with regard
to the strategic direction, products and services
required to develop the nursing and midwifery
services in Uganda.

Future plans 2

Creation of visible nursing services at institutional levels
and in the primary health care sector responsible for
managing, developing and implementing quality nursing
services

Strengthened and improved the capabilities of nurses
through structured, sustainable continuing education
programmes and research.

Improved coordination between the Ministry of Health
and the Ministry of Education to reduce the gaps
between education and clinical service.
FUTURE PLANS 3

Strengthened key leadership in the Nursing Profession through
initiation of this Alliance:
- Office of Commissioner Nursing
- Officer of the Registrar
- Office of Nurses Association
- Principal Tutors – Ministry of Education and Sports
- Regional leaders by implementing twinning arrangements both
nationally and internationally
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



Thanks to Uganda UK Health Alliance and its
Director, Maura Buchanan
UHSM Academy for supporting my visit to UK
To all UK volunteers who give of their time and
expertise to support our efforts.