Uganda has one licensed doctor for every 6,400 people, figures show

What the report says

Uganda’s health system is under renewed scrutiny after figures from the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council showed 7,871 doctors with active licences for the 2026 practice year. Based on the country’s projected population of 50,256,600 by the end of 2026, that works out to about one licensed doctor for every 6,400 people, according to Nile Post. The council also said 10,951 doctors are registered overall, meaning a sizable number do not currently hold active licences.

The report said the headline ratio should be read as an indication of the potential medical workforce rather than the number of doctors actually available in public hospitals. Doctors are spread across public and private facilities, universities, research institutions and other sectors, and some may be outside Uganda. The article also noted that staffing gaps are compounded by uneven distribution, with urban centres such as Kampala typically better served than remote regions.

The figures come as Uganda’s population continues to grow and health service demand rises across maternal care, emergency treatment, surgery, infectious disease management and non-communicable disease care. The story also linked the issue to the ongoing dispute over medical interns, who form part of the supervised clinical workforce while completing training. Nile Post reported that 2,417 interns were deployed for the 2026/27 year, but many had not reported to their postings amid concerns over welfare, allowances and policy changes.