Rural communities face challenges in registering births and deaths

27 March 2025, 11:15 am

By Annet Nakato.

In rural communities across Uganda, the registration of births and deaths remains a significant challenge.

Many families, especially those in remote areas, struggle to complete the process due to a lack of healthcare facilities, trained personnel, and financial support. As a result, many citizens face difficulties in obtaining identification documents, accessing essential social services, and exercising their citizenship rights.

Speaking at a training organised by the Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS Uganda) in partnership with the Health Journalists Network Uganda (HEJNU), Dr. Mwanga Michael, the Assistant Commissioner of Surveillance, Information, and Knowledge Management at the Ministry of Health, emphasised the importance of birth and death registration.

He noted that the absence of proper documentation can have long-term consequences on governance, public health, and human rights.

“This issue is not unique to Uganda,” Dr. Mwanga stated. “Many countries, especially those with large rural populations, face similar challenges in registering vital events. However, it is critical to address these gaps to ensure every citizen is counted and recognised.”

Robert Ofiti, the Regional Director of HEPS Uganda, highlighted financial constraints as a major hindrance to the registration process. He noted that although hospitals receive birth records daily, there is insufficient funding to support the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in efficiently collecting and processing this data.

“NIRA lacks the financial support needed to streamline the process, and there is little collaboration between hospitals and the registration authority,” Ofiti explained. “This has resulted in a breakdown of the system, leaving many children and families without legal recognition.”

Ofiti called upon stakeholders, including the government, civil society organisations, and the private sector, to work together to strengthen birth and death registration systems. He emphasised that ensuring all citizens have legal documentation is fundamental to national development and effective governance.

To address these challenges, experts recommend increasing funding for civil registration, improving coordination between hospitals and NIRA, and raising awareness among communities about the importance of registering births and deaths. Additionally, mobile registration units and digital systems could be introduced to make the process more accessible in remote areas.

As Uganda strives to improve its Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, collaboration among government agencies, health institutions, and the public remains key to ensuring that every citizen’s identity is recognised and protected.