Emergency care protects the dignity of refugees in Nakivale

Uganda’s public healthcare system is required to reach people in often remote and under-resourced settings. While needs continue to grow, humanitarian funding has decreased sharply in recent years. Health facilities face chronic shortages of trained staff, essential medicines, and equipment. In many parts of Uganda, ambulances are few, poorly equipped, and staffed by  drivers without medical training. Transport times are long, and patients often travel without oxygen, monitoring, or lifesaving interventions along the way. For refugees living far from referral hospitals, the journey time itself can mean the difference between life and death.

Statistically, more than half of emergency related deaths in low- and middle-income countries like Uganda could be prevented by stronger emergency care systems (WHO, 2024). Recognizing this, we have worked together with the Ugandan Ministry of Health to lay the foundation for sustainable, high-quality nationwide emergency care by supporting national policies, standards, and training frameworks. In 2025, we continued to build on this foundation to enhance the EMS for Nakivale Refugee Settlement in south-western Uganda. The majority of the almost 270,000 Nakivale residents are women and children, many of them newly displaced from the eastern DR Congo.

To improve the EMS for the refugees in Nakivale, we focused on one critical link in the care chain: safe, dignified transport. Working closely with various expert partners, another three ambulances were upgraded to national Type B standards. These ambulances are now equipped with oxygen, monitoring tools, and essential emergency equipment. Equally important was investing in people. Sixteen healthcare workers were trained in the WHO-accredited Basic Emergency Care course, strengthening their ability to recognize and manage emergencies. Ten ambulance drivers received Emergency Vehicle Operators training.

As displacement continues and funding becomes more uncertain, investing in local capacity is critical. When people can access care close to where they live, even in displacement, they retain a sense of agency and belonging. By working through national systems and strengthening local professional bodies, we are supporting the development of an EMS model that can be replicated. The experiences gained in Nakivale are already being incorporated into plans to modernize ambulances in neighboring settlements and host communities. We remain committed to ensuring that “home” – be it old, new or temporary – includes close access to lifesaving care. With strong partnerships, local expertise, and sustained support, emergency care can become a pillar of dignity and hope for displaced communities in Uganda and beyond.