Why some diseases are missed in Uganda’s health system

What the report says

The Ugandan Ministry of Health says some diseases are missed or misdiagnosed because symptoms can be unusual, patient histories may be incomplete, and health workers may not always have the equipment needed to confirm a condition. In comments reported by Nile Post, Director General of Health Services Charles Olaro said these challenges are not unique to Uganda and can affect diagnosis in many health systems.

Olaro said clinicians often rely on the most common illnesses seen in their area, which can be useful but may also lead to confusion when a patient’s symptoms point to a less obvious disease. He noted that a person with fever may be assessed for malaria in Uganda because of the disease’s prevalence, even if another illness is responsible. He also said conditions such as stroke, heart attacks, sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis and some cancers can be harder to identify early because they may resemble more familiar problems.

The article also highlights broader causes of diagnostic error, including cognitive bias, short consultation times, patients seeing different providers, and mistakes in interpreting imaging or test results. Olaro urged patients to keep track of when symptoms began, what worsens them and how they change, and to ask follow-up questions or seek a second opinion when needed.

Nile Post reported that the Ministry sees diagnostic mistakes as a system-wide issue rather than the fault of one clinician, with delays in testing and incomplete records adding to the risk of missed or late diagnoses.