September 2026

More than 40% of people living with diabetes worldwide have not been diagnosed. World Diabetes Day is a global campaign to raise awareness of diabetes and the need for better prevention and care. The 2026 theme, “Early action on…

Pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide; in 2019, it killed 740,180 children under five years of age, accounting for 14% of all deaths in this age group. World Pneumonia Day is observed annually on…

Summary Background: Uganda mainly monitors malnutrition-related deaths through the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2), which captures deaths among children treated for severe (SAM) and moderate (MAM) acute malnutrition. The…

Out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, about seven in high-income countries and 15 in low- and middle-income countries acquire at least one health care-associated infection. International Infection Prevention Week is observed…

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide; in 2022, 2.3 million women were diagnosed and 670,000 died from the disease. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed every October to raise awareness of breast…

Summary Background: The growing number of zero-dose children, those who have never received a routine vaccine, poses a major threat to global immunization efforts and increases the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Although…

Bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths. World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week is observed annually from 18 to…

Summary Background: Uganda is a recognised zoonotic hotspot and has invested heavily since 2017 in detecting priority zoonoses through the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2). Whether that investment has been matched by fewer…

Summary Background: Timely laboratory reporting is essential for situational awareness and decision-making during outbreak response. Following confirmation of the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in Uganda in May 2026, the national…

Summary Background: WHO recommends parasitological confirmation of suspected malaria using microscopy or mRDTs. In Uganda, microscopy is expected at higher-level facilities, while mRDTs predominate at lower-level facilities. Workload,…