Uganda's decade-long battle against hepatitis B stands at a critical crossroads as chronic underfunding threatens to reverse the progress made since the country launched a nationwide free screening program in 2015.
While over 4 million people have been screened, experts warn that Uganda's current investment--just 11.4 billion shillings annually--is a fraction of the 38 to 57 billion required each year to control the disease.
A 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) report on viral hepatitis in low-income countries flagged inadequate funding as a key barrier to progress, particularly in countries like Uganda, where hepatitis B prevalence remains alarmingly high.
According to a 2023 Lancet Global Health study, only 10% of Ugandans who tested positive have received care, largely due to resource constraints.
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Dr Alice Nabukenya, a hepatologist at Mulago National Referral Hospital, described the current situation as "a ticking time bomb."
"We know what works--vaccination, early diagnosis, and sustained treatment. But with current funding levels, we are forced to turn patients away. That's not just heartbreaking, it's dangerous," she said.
Hepatitis B, a viral infection that targets the liver, is a leading cause of liver cancer--one of the top cancer-related killers in sub-Saharan Africa.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Hepatology found that robust vaccination and treatment programs could reduce liver cancer incidence by up to 70%, underlining the immense human and economic cost of underinvestment.
Yet Uganda continues to allocate just 11.4 billion shillings a year--less than one-third of what experts say is needed to secure vaccines, expand treatment, and maintain a functioning public health infrastructure.
Public health advocates are now urging both the Ugandan government and international donors to increase funding before the disease spirals out of control.
"We can't afford to lose the progress we've made. This is not just a Ugandan issue; it's a regional health threat," said Dr. Samuel Kaggwa, a public health policy advisor.
As the country prepares to revise its national hepatitis response strategy in 2026, stakeholders hope sobering data and growing public pressure will finally lead to sustainable financial commitments--before more lives are lost to a disease that is both preventable and treatable.
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