Uganda is facing a critical shortage of nurses and midwives, with health officials warning that the country requires at least 24,000 additional health workers to meet rising demand for services in an overstretched health system.
The shortage was disclosed by the Acting Commissioner for Nursing and Midwifery at the Ministry of Health, Evelyn Kyomugisha, during the first National Nurses and Midwives Scientific Conference held in Kampala.
Kyomugisha said Uganda currently needs about 13,000 additional midwives and 11,000 nurses to adequately respond to increasing patient numbers driven by population growth, maternal health demands and rising disease burdens.
"Currently, we need more midwives in our country," she said, warning that the staffing gap is already affecting service delivery and placing heavy pressure on existing health workers.
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She noted that despite increasing numbers of graduates from nursing and midwifery training institutions, recruitment into the public health system has not kept pace with demand, worsening the staffing crisis.
The conference brought together nurses, midwives, policymakers and health sector stakeholders to discuss workforce challenges, professional standards and reforms in health training systems.
Kyomugisha described the gathering as a landmark platform for the profession, aimed at strengthening coordination and professional identity among nurses and midwives across the country.
"We are here to identify ourselves among the professionals and to ensure we work together with other health professionals to promote nursing and midwifery in our country," she said.
A key focus of the conference was the proposed shift toward a competency-based curriculum, designed to align nursing education with modern healthcare demands, emerging diseases and technological change in health service delivery.
Kyomugisha supported the reforms, saying the current curriculum is no longer adequate for today's evolving health environment.
"As we move with new technologies and changing disease patterns, we cannot continue with the old curriculum," she said.
She added that nurses and midwives must be equipped with updated skills that allow them to respond effectively to complex patient needs at all levels of care.
The Ministry of Health also highlighted the need to strengthen specialised training in critical care, neonatology and maternal health as Uganda seeks to close gaps in advanced clinical services.
Beyond staffing numbers and technical training, discussions at the conference also highlighted the importance of non-clinical competencies in improving healthcare delivery.
Winnie Nabukeera, the Chief Executive Officer of Little Winnie Foundation, urged stronger integration of soft skills into nursing and midwifery education, arguing that technical competence alone is not enough to guarantee quality patient care.
Nabukeera, a nurse by profession, said her organisation focuses on capacity building for healthcare workers through soft skills training, entrepreneurship and work readiness programmes.
"We are a registered social enterprise offering capacity building trainings for healthcare workers," she said.
She emphasised that modern healthcare delivery requires a combination of clinical knowledge, communication skills, leadership ability and adaptability to different workplace challenges.
"Empowered nurses save lives," she said, adding that technical competence alone is insufficient in today's healthcare environment.
According to Nabukeera, soft skills such as teamwork, advocacy, communication and adaptability are essential for nurses and midwives who operate in complex and often resource-constrained health systems.
"When you look at a nurse having the ability to save lives, it is not only about being technically competent but also having a blended approach that includes non-technical competencies," she said.
She warned that many healthcare workers struggle not because of lack of clinical training, but due to limited understanding of health systems and weak interpersonal skills that affect service delivery.
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"Many of them need support to understand the systems they work in. They need to be flexible, adaptable and strong advocates for their patients and communities," she said.
Nabukeera also stressed the importance of leadership development among nurses, saying effective healthcare delivery increasingly depends on professionals who can manage teams, communicate clearly and make informed decisions under pressure.
"For you to be a well-rounded nurse or midwife, you must have competencies that differentiate you," she said.
She called on training institutions, government agencies and health sector stakeholders to integrate soft skills development into medical education to improve patient outcomes and strengthen Uganda's health system.
The conference concluded with renewed calls for investment in both staffing and training reforms as Uganda confronts growing pressure on its healthcare workforce.
