Uganda is divided into 56 districts and the health care system is aligned to the administrative structure described below:

There are 11 regional referral hospitals (which also act as District Hospitals in the areas where they are located) and 2 national referral hospitals (Mulago and Butabika). Mulago and Mbarara Hospitals also act as University Teaching Hospitals.

Since 1972, the number of public, non-governmental and private health facilities has increased by 400 percent and the population has more than doubled. In spite of this, a 1993 inventory of health units found that geographical access to health care is limited to 49 percent of the population, i.e. population living within 5 kilometres (about one hour’s walking distance) of a health facility providing both curative and preventive health services (World Bank quoting Ministry of Health). Rural communities are particularly affected because health facilities are mostly located in towns and along main roads.