Uganda battles rising tide of Non-Communicable Diseases

6 November 2025, 5:37 pm

By  Byamukama Alozious

The Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, has raised concern over the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Uganda, which now account for 35 percent of all deaths in the country.

She made the remarks during the 1st National Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (NACNDC) and 19th Joint Annual Scientific Health (JASH) Conference held at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort.

Dr. Aceng revealed that one in every five Ugandans is at risk of dying prematurely from one of the five major NCDs cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, and mental health disorders. She also cited other emerging concerns such as sickle cell disease and kidney complications, which continue to affect thousands of Ugandans.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine, about 29.1 percent of Ugandans are either overweight or obese, a trend that is fueling the rise in NCDs. She noted that the country’s most common risk factors include unhealthy diets, tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and air pollution.

Dr. Aceng emphasized that the government is scaling up NCD screening to Health Centre III and IV levels as part of efforts to detect and manage the diseases early. She also called for strong community engagement, urging Ugandans to adopt healthier lifestyles to reduce the burden of preventable illnesses.

Globally, non-communicable diseases kill 41 million people annually, representing 74 percent of all deaths. In Uganda, the probability of dying prematurely from one of the five major NCDs stands at 20 percent. The situation is more severe in low- and middle-income countries, which account for 86 percent of all premature NCD deaths.

To address this growing challenge, the Ministry of Health is working in partnership with Makerere University School of Public Health, AHF Uganda Cares, and other stakeholders to strengthen prevention, early detection, and management of NCDs through a multisectoral approach.