National Guidelines for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) August 2025

UPA collaborated with the Ministry of Health’s Department of Reproductive and Child Health and Ophthalmic Services Unit to develop national guidance on prevention, screening and management of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

The multidisciplinary review strengthened the guideline’s clinical and operational direction, including screening eligibility, treatment urgency, follow-up, prevention and implementation. Nationwide dissemination is expected to support neonatal eye health and reduce avoidable childhood blindness.

Adolescent Health Training in Paediatric Residency 2024/25,

Makerere University integrated formal adolescent-health training into its Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health curriculum, addressing a longstanding gap in specialist training. Fifty-eight residents have been trained; a third cohort of 27 is in progress. Mbarara University of Science and Technology has also begun the integration in 2026/27.

Training combines adolescent-friendly clinical rotations, expert-led sessions and practical workshops in communication, ethics, confidentiality and chronic-condition self-management.

• Clinical rotations include psychosocial assessment using the HEEADSSS framework, mental-health screening and transition support.
• Expert sessions involve public-health specialists, adolescent mental-health professionals and community organizations.
• Workshops build skills in sensitive communication, medical ethics, confidentiality and self-management support.

Core areas include adolescent development, sexual and reproductive health, mental health and substance use, adolescent-friendly services, and communication and counselling.

Early experience suggests improved resident confidence in confidential history-taking, psychosocial assessment and patient-centred care. The Makerere/Mulago Adolescent Clinic, established in 2013, has served more than 12,000 clients.

UPA encourages paediatric training institutions to integrate adolescent medicine into postgraduate curricula to better meet young people’s health needs.

World Prematurity Day 2025 – Mbarara

On 20 November 2025, UPA joined Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and partners to mark World Prematurity Day, bringing together neonatal teams, families, preterm graduates and development partners to raise awareness of prematurity and celebrate progress in newborn care. Families shared stories of survival and resilience, highlighting the importance of quality neonatal services, skilled health workers and family support for babies born too soon

The event also recognized health workers’ commitment to caring for vulnerable newborns.UPA and its partners remain committed to improving outcomes for preterm babies and supporting their families and care teams.

Newborn Health committee Activities, 2025–2026

Newborn health activities and working-group meeting

1. Working with the Ministry of Health and partners on the Accelerated Newborn Implementation Plan (ANIP), a five-year framework to improve newborn-health outcomes, including guidance for retinopathy of prematurity.
2. Supporting development of newborn-care bundles for birth asphyxia (PREWAVED), sepsis and HA-PRETERM. These are included in ANIP.
3. Paediatricians and neonatologists lead in-service training for nurses in essential newborn care, strengthening the newborn-care workforce.
4. Regional newborn coordinators provide mentorship and supervision to lower-level facilities, with reported improvements in care following mentorship.
5. Members use radio, television and social media to raise awareness of prematurity and newborn health.
6. Coordinates awareness activities on prematurity and birth asphyxia, including webinars and Ministry of Health Community of Practice meetings.
7. Supports monthly national perinatal death-review audits and helps facilities prepare for and conduct reviews as part of the national MPDSR process.
8. Facilitates newborn and maternal-care mentorship in the Karamoja and Lango subregions, including deployment of two neonatologists for mentorship.

IPA–UPA “Vaccines to Vaccination” Training of Trainers19–22 March 2026

The International Paediatric Association, UPA and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) jointly supported a Training of Trainers workshop under the “Vaccines to Vaccination” project.The workshop strengthened trainers’ scientific and programmatic skills in vaccine introduction, with a focus on increasing immunisation coverage and reaching zero-dose children in Gavi-supported countries.

Participants explored practical approaches to improving vaccine delivery and reaching underserved communities.The workshop built collaboration and capacity to improve immunisation outcomes.

22nd Annual Scientific Conference

Theme: “Bridging the Gap to Equitable Child Health Care”

UPA’s 22nd Annual Scientific Conference brought together paediatricians and child-health experts to discuss practical approaches to equitable access to care.

More than 300 paediatricians and child-health experts attended, alongside policymakers, Ministry of Health officials, WHO representatives, partners and pharmaceutical organizations.

Technical Review of the Consolidated Paediatric Mentorship Manual | 13–15 October 2026

UPA participated in the Ministry of Health Child Health Subcommittee’s technical review and validation of the Consolidated Paediatric Mentorship Manual at UNICEF Uganda Country Offices.

The meeting brought together Ministry of Health teams, paediatric subspecialists, regional network leads, ETAT trainers, clinicians, nurses, implementing partners and UPA representatives to strengthen a unified mentorship framework across levels of paediatric care.

Nationwide Measles–Rubella Vaccination Campaign

From 1–5 October 2026, the Uganda Paediatric Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, conducted a nationwide Measles–Rubella vaccination campaign targeting children aged 9–59 months. A total of 8,285,835 children were vaccinated against a national target of 7,616,746, achieving 108.8% of the target.