Uganda faces shortage of 24,000 nurses, midwives as staff warn of fatigue

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Uganda’s healthcare system is grappling with a shortage of nurses and midwives, with health leaders warning that the country urgently needs at least 24,000 more frontline health workers to cope with the growing population and rising demand for healthcare services.

The shortage, experts say, is stretching the country’s already burdened health workforce, increasing exhaustion among nurses and midwives and threatening the quality of care in hospitals and health centres across the country.

Health officials raised the concern during the first-ever Uganda National Nurses and Midwives Scientific Conference 2026, organised by the Association of Graduate Nurses and Midwives of Uganda (AGNMU) on May 11, 2026, at Makerere University, where healthcare professionals, educators and policymakers gathered to discuss the future of nursing and midwifery in Uganda.

Speaking during the conference ahead of International Nurses Day, health ministry commissioner for nursing and midwifery services Evelyn Kyomugisha revealed that Uganda currently requires at least 13,000 additional midwives and about 11,000 more nurses to adequately meet healthcare demands.

“The population has increased, but nurses and midwives have not increased within the health system. The number of mothers, babies and patients needing care is far higher compared to the number of nurses and midwives available to provide those services,” Kyomugisha said.

She warned that many healthcare workers are operating under difficult and exhausting conditions as they struggle to manage overwhelming patient numbers with limited staffing.

“We are working in hardship and getting tired, and this affects the quality of care. We also need more specialised nurses in areas like critical care, immunology and maternal health to strengthen healthcare services,” she said.

The staffing crisis comes at a time when Uganda continues to face a high disease burden, growing maternal healthcare needs and increasing pressure on public health facilities, especially in rural health centre IIs and IIIS and underserved areas where nurses and midwives often form the backbone of healthcare delivery.

Nurses and midwives pose for a group photo at Makerere Univerity School of public health hall on May 11 for their annual conference.

Health leaders said the shortage is not only affecting patient care but also contributing to burnout, low morale and frustration among healthcare workers.

Pushing for reforms

In response to the growing healthcare demands, the government is now pushing for reforms in health training institutions aimed at producing more competent and work-ready professionals.

Delivering the keynote address at the conference, National Council for Higher Education executive director Prof. Mary Okwakol said Uganda’s universities and training institutions are expected to fully align their academic programmes to Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) by the 2027/2028 academic year.

According to Okwakol, the reforms are intended to bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical workplace skills.

“CBET is not just about changing the curriculum but preparing professionals who are work-ready and capable of delivering quality services immediately after training,” she said.

She added that the country must focus on producing graduates who are confident, competent and capable of responding to real healthcare challenges in communities and health facilities.

The conference also highlighted the financial struggles faced by many nurses and midwives, with healthcare leaders saying poor welfare continues to affect motivation and retention within the profession.

AGNMU president Prof. Edward Kumakech called for greater investment in the welfare and empowerment of nurses and midwives, describing them as the backbone of Uganda’s health system.

“Our nurses and midwives are serving in hospitals, universities and remote communities across the country, yet many continue to face financial and professional challenges,” Prof. Kumakech said.

One of the major highlights of the conference was the launch of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives SACCO, an initiative aimed at improving the economic welfare of healthcare workers through affordable loans, savings and investment opportunities.

AGNMU Board Chairperson Cliff Asher Aliga said the SACCO was established to help nurses and midwives overcome persistent financial hardships that have affected their livelihoods for years.

Aliga also noted that improving the welfare of healthcare workers could reduce stress, improve job satisfaction and ultimately strengthen patient care across the country.

According to health officials, Uganda’s nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios remain far below the World Health Organisation recommendations, with one midwife in some facilities attending to dozens of mothers and patients in a single shift, especially in rural health centres where staffing shortages are most severe.