The Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) has raised the red flag over the rising number of children born with heart defects in Uganda, revealing that more than 16,000 babies are affected by congenital heart disease annually.
Dr John Omagino, executive director of the Institute, attributed the growing burden to maternal exposure to harmful substances during pregnancy, including unprescribed drugs like Septrin, alcohol, and tobacco.
He said the condition continues to claim young lives largely due to the country's limited capacity to diagnose and treat heart complications in newborns.
"Despite efforts made to combat the situation, Uganda is still struggling to effectively treat and prevent heart diseases in children," Dr Omagino said.
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"Many of these children don't live to celebrate their first birthday."
He pointed to factors such as crowded living conditions and poor antenatal care as significant contributors.
Omagino urged expectant mothers to undergo routine prenatal screenings and to avoid self-medication and exposure to harmful substances.
Medical experts say most cases of congenital heart disease can be corrected through surgery if diagnosed early. However, the cost of treatment remains prohibitive.
According to UHI data, a heart surgery in Uganda costs about Shs 18 million, while the same procedure abroad can exceed Shs72 million.
Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng acknowledged the gravity of the crisis, expressing concern that government's budget priorities have long neglected essential healthcare needs--particularly those of children.
"We could have saved thousands of lives by prioritizing essential health services. Unfortunately, much of our national budget still goes to politics and non-priority areas," Aceng said.
She called for urgent policy reforms and greater investment in maternal and child health infrastructure, including the expansion of the Uganda Heart Institute's capacity to perform paediatric surgeries and offer comprehensive cardiac care.
Health rights advocates have echoed these calls, warning that without decisive action, the country will continue to lose thousands of children annually to preventable conditions.
Uganda currently has only one national heart institute and a handful of pediatric cardiologists, leaving many rural families with little or no access to lifesaving care.
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Dr Omagino concluded with a plea to both government and development partners to step in and expand services to reach more children in need, warning that the window for intervention is often very narrow in the case of congenital heart conditions.
