From tragedy to transformation; How covid-19 reshaped critical care

The COVID-19 pandemic left a devastating impact on Uganda’s health system, claiming over 3,600 lives and exposing significant gaps in critical care capacity. Medical workers like Dr. Rosemary Byanyima of Mulago Hospital and Dr. Lamek Ssemogerere of Nakasero Hospital recount the emotional toll, supply shortages, and overwhelming patient loads that marked Uganda’s darkest days of the crisis.
Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng shares how government and private hospitals were forced to rapidly invest in ICU beds, oxygen plants, and lab infrastructure—transformations that are now shaping a more resilient healthcare system. The pandemic, though painful, triggered long-overdue reforms and public awareness about the importance of critical care.