Uganda is charting a course to preserve the hard-won gains of a five-year reproductive health initiative that has reshaped access to maternal care and family planning across dozens of districts, as the programme prepares to wind down.
The EMPOWER Programme, financed by the UK government and implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) alongside Pathfinder International, the Ministry of Health and Marie Stopes, has left an indelible mark on the country's health landscape. According to programme results, it helped avert an estimated 432 maternal deaths, resolved more than 279,674 unintended pregnancies and prevented 63,693 unsafe abortions.
These achievements took centre stage at a learning and transition event held at the Lake Victoria Serena Resort in Kigo, where government officials and implementing partners gathered to discuss how to keep the momentum alive once the project closes.
A Call for Lasting Government Commitment
Dr Charles Ayume, the state minister for primary health care, urged continued government dedication to sustaining the interventions, with a particular focus on bringing family planning services into everyday public spaces.
"We should walk this journey with them. I am engaging my colleagues from the ministry to find space for as small as a dispensary in public places like markets for family planning services," Ayume said.
He acknowledged that the cost of family planning remains a barrier for some Ugandans, noting that the government is working to make contraceptive methods more affordable and within reach.
Foundations for Permanent Transformation
Daniel Alemu, the UNFPA deputy country representative, described the programme as having laid the groundwork for lasting change in how reproductive health services are delivered.
"We have laid the foundation for a permanent transformation in healthcare delivery in Uganda," Alemu said.
He explained that the initiative embraced a Total Market Approach, which encouraged those able to pay for commercial health services to use private providers, thereby freeing public facilities to prioritise vulnerable populations.
Under the private sector component, 590 private health facilities and pharmacies were enrolled and 780 healthcare workers were trained to offer modern family planning services in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono. More than 640,000 women accessed services through commercial providers, generating over 140,000 couple-years of protection against unintended pregnancies.
Partnerships with private health insurers, including Old Mutual, CIC, Jubilee Health and Sanlam, helped integrate family planning into health benefit packages, potentially widening access to contraceptive services.
Reaching Communities Beyond the Clinic
The programme also reached nearly seven million people through mass media campaigns and an artificial intelligence-powered WhatsApp chatbot that provided reproductive health information.
Dr Rita Wadimba, Pathfinder International country director, said the initiative demonstrated the value of pairing investment in health infrastructure with skilled workers and community engagement.
"The core ambition was very clear: to strengthen the health system in ways that are tangible and lasting and make a difference in the lives of mothers, newborns, children, adolescents, and communities in Uganda," Wadimba said.
To improve newborn survival, the programme equipped five neonatal intensive care units and two newborn care units. A total of 227 newborns received thermal care through radiant warmers, while 411 benefited from Kangaroo Mother Care, a method involving prolonged skin-to-skin contact to help regulate a baby's temperature and support breastfeeding. Another 177 newborns received respiratory support.
Fourteen solar-powered blood refrigerators were supplied to Health Centre IVs, enabling facilities to dispense 802 units of blood between April and August 2026, of which 544 units were used for obstetric care. Eleven point-of-care ultrasound devices were delivered, and 11 midwives were trained in obstetric ultrasonography.
Investing in People and Community Awareness
On workforce development, 770 health workers received district-led mentorship in emergency obstetric and newborn care and postpartum family planning. Two fistula repair camps in Mubende and Hoima provided treatment to 48 women with obstetric fistula and birth injuries.
Beyond health facilities, the programme invested in community engagement to tackle misinformation, harmful social norms and barriers that keep women and girls from accessing reproductive health services. Results indicate that 779,761 people received family planning messages, 48,580 were reached with information on harmful gender norms, and 39,623 adolescent girls and young women received information on preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence. A further 528 community leaders were trained to counter misinformation and harmful practices.
Priorities for the Road Ahead
As the programme transitions towards closure, stakeholders identified continued mentorship of health workers, domestic financing for family planning, reliable supplies of reproductive health commodities and improved health data management as key priorities.
Ayume's push for family planning services in public spaces such as markets reflects the need to take services closer to communities, particularly women who face financial, geographical and social barriers when seeking care.
Wadimba said sustaining the achievements would require continued government leadership and collaboration among health facilities, development partners and communities.
