Uganda's NCD programme earns global acclaim

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Uganda’s commitment to combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has earned international recognition at the NCDs Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

Leaders in global health, including NCD Alliance chief, Katie Dain, and Amref Health Africa group chief, Dr Githinji Gitahi, lauded Uganda’s leadership in advancing NCD care and advocacy, setting a precedent for other nations in Africa.

Uganda has taken strides in addressing NCDs through strong government leadership, increased investment in healthcare and community-based interventions.

The country has integrated NCD screening into primary healthcare services, expanded access to essential medicines and implemented awareness campaigns targeting lifestyle risk factors such as unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity.

By prioritising prevention and early detection, Uganda has managed to reduce the burden of NCDs and improve patient outcomes.

Strengthened advocacy

Dain emphasized the importance of advocacy, civil society engagement, and patient-centred approaches in the global NCD response.

"We need to be honest about the tough landscape we are operating in," she said, while highlighting the challenges posed by shifts in US government policies affecting health funding. She urged for stronger mobilisation to ensure the upcoming High-Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs in September yields tangible results: "This is an opportunity to bring together the entire global health community to fight for the right to health".

Dain also underscored the need for integrated healthcare approaches, particularly in primary healthcare, to maximise health resources. She commended initiatives like AstraZeneca’s Healthy Heart Africa, saying, "We need to ensure that every dollar spent on health goes as far as possible."

Leaders in global health at the convention. (Courtesy)

Challenges  

Gitahi acknowledged the Government of Uganda’s leadership in addressing NCDs, emphasizing that government involvement is crucial for effective health system responses.

"Uganda’s approach demonstrates that a proactive, integrated healthcare system can yield positive results in NCD management," said Gitahi.

"The driver of the bus is the Government," he said.

Gitahi shared a personal story about the high cost of cardiology care in Kenya, highlighting the economic burden NCDs place on families.

"Between two outpatient visits for my mother, I spent $600. I was lucky I could afford it, but many others cannot," he said.

He warned that without substantial investment and reform, NCDs could become Africa’s greatest health challenge by 2063, surpassing infectious diseases in mortality rates.

He pointed out Rwanda’s dedicated budget for NCDs but cautioned that per capita allocations remain insufficient across the continent.

"Even with Rwanda’s commitment, the per capita expenditure for NCDs is just $3 per person annually," he explained.

Prevention and policy reform  

Both speakers highlighted the necessity of prevention as a core strategy for reducing the long-term burden of NCDs. Gitahi called for proactive policies, including increased HPV vaccinations, to prevent cervical cancer and reallocate resources toward managing hypertension and diabetes.

"We must redefine universal health coverage to prioritise the most vulnerable," he urged.

Furthermore, Gitahi emphasized the role of legislation and regulation in reducing NCD risk factors. "Some countries have 18% tariffs on essential NCD medicines, while others have zero.

This must change," he said, calling for advocacy to lower costs and improve access to treatment.

Uganda’s success 

Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine. (Courtesy)

Uganda’s health ministry permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, highlighted the critical need for synergy in partnerships, as isolated and unco-ordinated efforts often fail to bring sustainable results.

She pointed out that Uganda has made significant strides in integrating community-based interventions to enhance early detection of NCDs. This was during her presentation.

"Synergy is what will bring results. Synergy is what will help us improve performance and get the results we desire," Atwine said.

She underscored that early detection is the cornerstone of effective NCD management. Without it, many individuals only seek medical attention when complications have already set in, such as chronic kidney failure or heart disease, making treatment far more expensive and difficult.

"The whole mainstay of dealing with NCDs is early detection. That’s why we are here. If we are not emphasizing early detection, then we will not overcome the NCD burden," she emphasized.

The NCD Forum in Kigali

The Global NCDs Forum which ended on February 15, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda, convened over 700 delegates from more than 70 countries including the World Health Organisation (WHO), NCD Global Alliance, advocates and health officials from various countries.

The three-day forum aimed at addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally with a theme of leadership on NCDs towards 2025 and beyond.