The legal framework
Maternity services in public facilities are free of charge, and the great majority of women attend at least one antenatal visit. The practical difficulty lies elsewhere: families are routinely asked to bring a delivery kit including gloves, cord ties and plastic sheeting, and transport to a facility at night is often the deciding factor. Maternity leave is sixty working days.
Maternity care in Uganda is free in public facilities on paper, and the real cost is everything around it: transport to a health centre, the mama kit of gloves, cord ties and plastic sheeting that mothers are routinely asked to bring, and informal payments. Facility delivery rates have risen but maternal mortality remains high. Maternity leave is sixty working days, half of which must be taken after the birth.
Key points
| Cost | Free in public facilities; supplies are usually bought by the family |
|---|---|
| Delivery kit | Families are commonly asked to bring gloves, cord ties and sheeting |
| Maternity leave | Sixty working days, with paternity leave of four days |
| Antenatal care | High first-visit attendance; fewer complete four or more visits |
| Village Health Teams | Link households to facilities and follow up after birth |
| Maternity waiting homes | Available near some hospitals for women living far away |
| Emergency care | Referral depends on transport availability |
In practice
- Prepare the delivery kit in advance: being asked for it at the door is the most common delay.
- Ask whether a maternity waiting home is attached to the referral hospital if you live far away.
- Attend at least four antenatal visits: the first alone is not enough.
- Agree the transport plan with family before the eighth month.
Cost and coverage
Public maternity care is free; the delivery kit and transport are the real costs.
Recent changes
Maternal health programmes have expanded transport vouchers and maternity waiting shelters to address delays in reaching facilities, and health insurance legislation has been debated for several years without enactment.
Where to go
- Health centres and district hospitals.
- Village Health Teams.
- Maternity waiting homes attached to referral hospitals.
Worth knowing
Maternity waiting homes are underused and they work: staying near a hospital in the final weeks removes the transport problem entirely for women who live far away.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mama kit?
A pack containing gloves, cotton wool, a plastic sheet, cord ties, soap and a baby blanket that mothers are commonly asked to bring to a public facility for delivery. It costs a modest amount at a pharmacy and is one of the reasons free care is not free in practice.
How long is maternity leave?
Sixty working days at full pay under the Employment Act, with at least half taken after the birth, and four working days of paternity leave. It applies to employees; most working women in Uganda are in informal work and outside it.
Official sources and links
- World Health Organization — international reference on this topic
- WHO Regional Office for Africa — country data and programmes