Health 27 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Urgent Call for Government to Overhaul Uganda's Failing Ambulance Services
Uganda faces a critical shortage of functional ambulances, compounded by inadequate funding for fuel, maintenance, and repairs, leaving many patients without timely transport to hospitals. The government is urged to procure equipped ambulances, ensure equitable distribution, and provide sufficient funds to keep them operational. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/govt-must-improve-our-ambulance-services-5438708
Uganda’s ambulance services are in dire straits, with a severe shortage of vehicles unable to meet the population’s needs. Hospital administrators report insufficient government funding for fuel, maintenance, and repairs, leading to broken-down ambulances rusting in lots while patients suffer.
Even when ambulances are available, patients are often charged for fuel despite official free services, pricing out the poorest who cannot afford it. This has resulted in preventable deaths as referrals to other hospitals go unheeded.
Water ambulances in certain districts face similar issues, lacking fuel budgets. Donations from NGOs and politicians help temporarily but succumb to the same funding woes. Many so-called ambulances lack essential equipment and trained health workers.
The editorial demands the government acquire more fully equipped ambulances, distribute them fairly across regions, and allocate adequate funds for operations and repairs. The Ministry of Health and hospital leaders must ensure medical staff accompany patients in transit.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)