Uganda: Health committee irked by stock-out of sickle cell drugs in Busoga

Several hospitals in the Busoga sub region have gone for four months without essential medicines used in the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), worsening the burden faced by patients. This was revealed on Monday, 08 September 2026 during an oversight visit by the Committee on Health to selected health facilities in the sub-region. The committee, led by its Deputy Chairperson, Hon. Hope Nakazibwe, expressed concern after discovering that Hydroxyurea, one of the essential medicines used to manage SCD has been unavailable for months at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, Mpumudde Health Centre IV and Buwenge General Hospital. Hydroxyurea is a recommended World Health Organisation drug that helps reduce the frequency of sickle cell attacks, hospital admissions and mortality among patients. Jinja Hospital, which serves about 4.5 million people, treats more than 2,000 sickle cell patients every month, a situation that has raised concern about the ability of ordinary families to meet the cost of medicines. “For an ordinary Musoga, how many do we expect to afford these special specialised medicines on their own, it is next to impossible,” said Hon. Sarah Lwansasula (NUP, Jinja City Woma