User:Psg2022/Healthcare in Uganda

Health Disparities in Uganda

Health Barriers in Uganda

Health barriers are prevalent in Uganda, with 99.6% of participants in a study done in Wakiso District reporting they had experienced a challenge when attempting to utilize healthcare services. There are several health barriers in the country that make it difficult for local residents to access and utilize healthcare services and resources. However, studies have found that the most common heath challenges include lack of transportation/distance to service points, cost of services, and issues of drug availability.

Distance is a major concern for many locals, especially those that live in rural settings. There are distinct health disparities between Ugandans in rural settings compared to their counterparts in urban areas: households living in rural settings experience disproportionately longer travel times, contributing to the difficulty in accessing care. These residents may walk or take public transportation to access the health centers or use these methods as indirect means to access their primary mode of transport, thereby further increasing the duration of travel.

In addition to transportation and distance challenges, cost is another barrier: the World Health Organization (2019) reported that 15.27% of the population in Uganda spent more than 10% of their household spending on health while 3.77% spent more than 25%.