The legal framework
Uganda has no legislation on assisted reproduction. Clinics operate under the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council and general health facility licensing. IVF has been available in Kampala since the 2000s, and a handful of centres perform the great majority of cycles in the country, also serving patients from Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Donation and surrogacy are practised without a statutory framework, so parentage rests on birth registration and contract.
Tubal damage following pelvic inflammatory disease is the dominant female cause in Uganda, which is exactly the indication conventional IVF was designed for. Results in the better centres are respectable for younger patients.
The periodic-embryologist model is worth asking about directly. A laboratory that runs cycles only when a visiting specialist is present gives less flexibility on timing, and timing is not negotiable in a stimulation cycle.
HIV is a relevant consideration for a proportion of couples. Sperm washing and treatment for serodiscordant couples are established techniques, and with an undetectable viral load transmission risk is effectively eliminated — a point that should be raised early.
Same-sex couples: assisted reproduction is offered privately to heterosexual couples.
Key points
| Law | No ART statute; general health facility licensing |
|---|---|
| Regulation | Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council |
| Sector | Private; no public funding |
| Centres | Kampala, a small number of established clinics |
| Regional role | Patients from Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan |
| Donation and surrogacy | Practised without statutory basis |
In practice
- Have both partners investigated; semen analysis and tubal assessment come first.
- Treat the treatable, in particular pelvic infection and its consequences.
- Choose an established centre and ask how many cycles it performs each year.
- Request a written, itemised quotation including medication.
- Take legal advice before any donor or surrogacy arrangement.
Cost and coverage
An IVF cycle costs UGX 15 to 30 million including medication. There is no public funding or insurance cover. The cost is a multiple of median annual income, and most couples attempt a single cycle, often financed by family abroad.
Recent changes
Demand has grown faster than capacity, and the main constraint remains the availability of trained embryologists; several centres bring in specialists periodically rather than employing them full-time.
Where to go
- Established fertility centres in Kampala
- Mulago National Referral Hospital and Makerere University teaching services, for the work-up
- Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council, for practitioner registration
- Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Uganda
- Regional centres in Nairobi and South Africa, for techniques unavailable locally
Worth knowing
Without a statute, embryo storage, posthumous use and what happens on separation are governed only by the clinic's consent form: read it carefully.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a law on IVF in Uganda?
No. Clinics operate under general health facility licensing and practitioner registration.
What does a cycle cost?
UGX 15 to 30 million including medication, with no public funding or insurance cover.
Where are the clinics?
In Kampala; a small number of established centres perform most of the country's cycles.
Can serodiscordant couples be treated?
Yes. Sperm washing and treatment protocols for HIV-serodiscordant couples are established, and an undetectable viral load effectively removes the transmission risk.
Is surrogacy regulated?
No. It is practised without statutory basis and parentage rests on contract and birth registration.
Official sources and links
- UN Human Rights Office — ratified treaties and country reviews
- ILO NATLEX — national legislation database