Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng has disclosed that many lower health facilities across Uganda are operating at just 39 percent staffing levels, a gap she says is significantly undermining healthcare delivery.

Speaking during an interview with Health Reporter Henry Mugenyi, Dr Aceng attributed the staffing shortfall to limited government wage allocations, which have constrained recruitment in the health sector.

She warned that the shortage has left many health workers overstretched, particularly in Health Centre IIIs, Health Centre IVs, and district hospitals, where patient demand continues to rise.

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According to the minister, the understaffing challenge has increased pressure on the available workforce, contributing to burnout, heavy workloads, and difficulties in maintaining quality service delivery.

Dr Aceng noted that despite ongoing government investments in constructing and upgrading health facilities, staffing remains one of the biggest bottlenecks in the sector.

She said the Ministry of Health is engaging relevant government agencies to secure additional wage allocations to enable the recruitment of more doctors, nurses, midwives, laboratory personnel, and other essential health workers.

The minister also emphasized the need for more equitable deployment of health workers, especially to rural and hard-to-reach areas where shortages are most severe.

Uganda's health sector has for years grappled with human resource constraints, with experts warning that inadequate staffing continues to slow progress toward universal health coverage and improved health outcomes.