The country
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, straddling the equator and bordering Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. About a third of its territory is covered by lakes and wetlands: part of Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile, lies in the south-east, while the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori rise in the west. The capital is Kampala. In 2025 Uganda became Africa’s leading coffee exporter, and today coffee and gold are the country’s main sources of foreign exchange. The start of oil production could also significantly accelerate economic growth.
With around 50 million inhabitants, Uganda has a fast-growing and still largely rural population: about 30% live in cities. Life expectancy at birth is about 65 years for men and 71 for women. In 2023 the country’s Human Development Index stood at 0.582, ranking 157th in the world, up 70% since 1990, but inequality reduces this value by almost a third. Uganda is also the African country hosting the most refugees: more than two million, mainly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whom the law grants freedom of movement and the right to work.
Independent from the United Kingdom since 9 October 1962, Uganda went through a long period of political instability and internal conflict in its first decades. Yoweri Museveni has led the country since 1986: re-elected in January 2026, he began his seventh term in May.
Since 1990, under-five mortality has fallen from 182 to 49 deaths per 1,000 live births. Neonatal mortality stands at 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, and maternal mortality at 170 per 100,000. Alongside tuberculosis, for which Uganda is among the 30 most affected countries in the world, chronic respiratory diseases also take a heavy toll: according to the Makerere University Lung Institute, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect more than 10% of the population, while specialised facilities remain few and overstretched. In this context, the Foundation works through the GASP Model (Global Access to Sustainable Pulmonology) at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital to build a structured system for diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases in adults and children, with a new paediatric clinic and dedicated services for post-tuberculosis patients.
(Sources: United Nations, World Population Prospects 2024; UN IGME; WHO, Global Health Estimates; UNDP, Human Development Report 2025; Ministry of Finance of Uganda; UNHCR; Makerere University Lung Institute; Government of Uganda; CIA World Factbook; AllAfrica; Reuters, via The Star)
Uganda in numbers
Uganda in numbers
Our intervention
In Uganda, the intervention aims to establish a structured and sustainable system for the diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases in both adults and children at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. The initiative focuses on strengthening local infrastructure, human resources, and clinical capacity to ensure long-term impact.
Key activities include improving access to diagnosis and treatment through the provision of adult and pediatric spirometers, oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, and essential inhaled medications. Clinical capacity is further enhanced through the establishment of a new Pediatric Chest Clinic and the strengthening of two existing clinics for post-tuberculosis patients and adult respiratory patients, supported by adequate staffing.
The program also invests in specialist training, enabling local clinicians to participate in national and international capacity-building initiatives.
Finally, the intervention promotes data-driven care and governance through the development of a structured clinical database, enabling the monitoring of patient outcomes and supporting institutional advocacy efforts.
The intervention is implemented in partnership with Global Health Collaborative, Ltd., which leads local implementation, and benefits from technical and scientific support from Massachusetts General Hospital (USA).
Our intervention
In Uganda, the intervention aims to establish a structured and sustainable system for the diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases in both adults and children at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. The initiative focuses on strengthening local infrastructure, human resources, and clinical capacity to ensure long-term impact.
Key activities include improving access to diagnosis and treatment through the provision of adult and pediatric spirometers, oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, and essential inhaled medications. Clinical capacity is further enhanced through the establishment of a new Pediatric Chest Clinic and the strengthening of two existing clinics for post-tuberculosis patients and adult respiratory patients, supported by adequate staffing.
The program also invests in specialist training, enabling local clinicians to participate in national and international capacity-building initiatives.
Finally, the intervention promotes data-driven care and governance through the development of a structured clinical database, enabling the monitoring of patient outcomes and supporting institutional advocacy efforts.
The intervention is implemented in partnership with Global Health Collaborative, Ltd., which leads local implementation, and benefits from technical and scientific support from Massachusetts General Hospital (USA).
Our main activities in Uganda
Provision of essential equipment including spirometers, oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, and inhaled therapies.
Establishment of a Pediatric Chest Clinic and strengthening of adult respiratory and post-tuberculosis services.
Training and upskilling of healthcare professionals through national and international programs.
Improving data systems to monitor outcomes and support evidence-based decision-making and advocacy.
We also work in
