Uganda Observes World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day
Kampala – Uganda joined the global community in marking World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day, with a focus this year on strengthening rehabilitation services and ensuring access to essential medicines for children living with these lifelong conditions.
Key details
The event, held at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi, carried the theme “Accelerating Action for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in Uganda.”
The Ministry of Health unveiled its new Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Strategic Plan (2025–2031) covering prevention, care, prosthetics, assistive devices and especially feeding into paediatric neurosurgery services.
One of the core challenges: only about 20 neurosurgeons serve the entire country’s population for these specific conditions. Access to vital medications like oxybutynin (used for bladder issues in spina bifida) remains limited, with calls for its inclusion on Uganda’s Essential Medicines List.
Organisations such as the Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Uganda (SHAU) highlighted prevention via food-fortification (folic acid) and urged government prioritisation.
Why it matters
These disabilities have lifelong implications for children and families: health costs, schooling, mobility, infrastructure access and caregiver burden.
Strengthening rehabilitation and assistive-technology services is crucial for inclusive growth and achieving disability-rights goals.
The strategic plan indicates government commitment; the challenge will be implementation, resource-mobilisation and equitable access (urban vs rural).
What to watch
Progress on procurement and distribution of assistive devices — will rural districts get matched support?
Whether oxybutynin and other key medications are included on the Essential Medicines list and made widely accessible.
Monitoring of outcomes: number of children treated, functional outcomes, reduction in complications (e.g., kidney damage in spina bifida) and regional coverage.
