Health 11 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda's Health Budget Shrinks Amidst Falling Donor Contributions
Uganda's health sector will receive Shs5.23 trillion in the upcoming fiscal year, a decrease from the previous year's Shs5.87 trillion, as donor funding continues to decline significantly. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/health-budget-drops-amid-declining-donor-funding--5492922
The Ugandan government has earmarked Shs5.23 trillion for the health sector in the 2026/2027 financial year. This allocation represents a reduction from the Shs5.87 trillion provided in the 2025/2026 financial year. Finance Minister Henry Musasizi announced the figures, emphasizing priorities such as maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation, and the management of non-communicable diseases.
The government aims to strengthen the supply of essential medicines, enhance specialized healthcare services, improve emergency response, and work towards universal health coverage. This increased domestic investment in medicines is intended to mitigate the impact of decreasing donor support, which has fallen from 49% of the sector’s funding in 2022 to Shs1.3 trillion in 2025.
Despite the budget decrease, efforts are being made to modernize healthcare infrastructure. The budget includes plans to equip hospitals with neonatal intensive care units and CT scanners, as well as ongoing construction and upgrades to various health facilities. Significant investments have also been made in preventive healthcare, including immunisation and nutrition programmes.
Furthermore, the health sector has seen advancements in specialized services, with a notable increase in cardiac interventions and the country’s first bone marrow transplant performed at the Uganda Cancer Institute. The government also continues to invest in water and sanitation, allocating Shs1.013 trillion to expand access to safe water and sanitation services nationwide, building on past successes in improving water source coverage.