World Health Organization Hands Over Life-Saving Equipment to Uganda’s Ministry of Health Under D-CARD Africa Project

KAMPALA,UGANDA. In a major boost for non-communicable disease (NCD) care in Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO) has handed over advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment to the Ministry of Health Uganda under the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases (D-CARD) Africa project. The hand-over took place at a rural health centre in Sembabule District and signals a significant step toward strengthening the national response to hypertension, diabetes and other cardiovascular conditions.
Health workers at the facility reported that until now they often lacked basic tools to screen and confirm conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, leading to late detection and complications. “We could suspect hypertension or diabetes, but without the right equipment we couldn’t confirm or act early,” said one nurse on site.
The equipment hand-over is part of broader efforts by the WHO and its partners to address the rising burden of NCDs in Uganda, which increasingly rival infectious diseases as major health challenges. Stakeholders say improved diagnostics are vital for early treatment, reducing hospitalisations and improving outcomes.
Why it matters:

NCDs such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease account for growing shares of morbidity and mortality in Uganda, and strengthening capacity at local facilities is key.

Rural health centres often lack the tools for early detection; this intervention targets those gaps.

Early diagnosis and management can reduce long-term costs and ease burden on tertiary hospitals.
What’s next:

Monitoring how the new equipment is used at facility level and tracking outcomes (screening rates, diagnosis, treatment initiation).

Scaling similar support to other districts and integrating NCD screening into primary care.

Ensuring maintenance, training and supply of consumables to make the equipment effective.