Deadline: 20-Mar-2026
UNICEF Uganda has launched an Open Call for Expression of Interest to support the Health and HIV component of its 2026–2030 Country Programme, targeting children, adolescents, and women, particularly the most vulnerable.
The programme focuses on maternal and newborn health, adolescent HIV, immunization, primary health care systems strengthening, digital health interventions, and public health emergency preparedness.
It aims to improve equitable access to quality health services, strengthen community health systems, and enhance national and sub-national capacities to achieve sustainable health outcomes by 2030.
The UNICEF is seeking qualified partners to support the Health and HIV component of its 2026–2030 Country Programme in Uganda.
The programme aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV, prioritizing maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and women’s health to improve survival, nutrition, and wellbeing.
Programme Objectives
The Health and HIV component aims to:
- Ensure equitable access to quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (RMNCH) services
- Eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission (EMTCT)
- Strengthen primary health care and community health systems
- Improve adolescent health, particularly HIV prevention and care
- Enhance preparedness and response for public health emergencies
- Integrate digital health solutions including GIS, data visualization tools, and platforms
Context and Challenges
Despite progress in maternal, neonatal, and under-five mortality reduction, Uganda continues to face:
- Stagnant decline in newborn mortality
- High teenage pregnancy rates
- Poor quality maternal and newborn health services
- High new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women
- Immunity gaps due to sub-optimal immunization coverage (measles, rubella, yellow fever)
- Endemic and emerging diseases (Ebola, Marburg, COVID-19, cholera, M-pox)
- Climate change impacts and human-wildlife interactions
Health system challenges include:
- Under-resourced, inadequately staffed, and unevenly supported facilities
- Weak primary health care and community health platforms
- Limited training, supervision, and motivation of community health workers
- Supply chain and referral system gaps
- Low digital health penetration affecting data-driven decision-making
Programme Outputs
UNICEF’s five-year strategy is structured around three interlinked outputs:
Output 1 – Strengthen RMNCH and HIV Care
- Build commitment and capacity at national and sub-national levels
- Improve equitable access to quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health services
- Focus on the most vulnerable populations
Output 2 – Strengthen Primary Health Care and Community Health
- Enhance delivery of affordable, equitable, and quality primary health care services
- Strengthen community-based health platforms
- Improve evidence-based planning, early detection, service quality, and continuity of care
Output 3 – Integrated Coordination and Digital Health
- Promote data-driven health decision-making
- Support GIS mapping, digital data platforms, and visualization tools
- Enable coordinated annual workplans with the Government, UN agencies, and NGOs to maximize impact and avoid duplication
Who Can Apply
UNICEF seeks expressions of interest from:
- NGOs and civil society organizations with experience in health, HIV, maternal and child health, or adolescent health
- Partners capable of implementing interventions in both facility-based and community-based settings
- Organizations with capacity for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting aligned with national and UNICEF standards
Key Priorities for Partners
Eligible partners should be able to:
- Deliver services targeting children under five, adolescents, and women during and after pregnancy
- Support elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (EMTCT)
- Strengthen community health systems and primary health care networks
- Integrate digital health interventions for data management, GIS mapping, and visualization
- Participate in multi-stakeholder coordination with Government and UN agencies
How to Apply / Submit Expression of Interest
Step 1: Review Programme Scope
- Ensure organizational capacity aligns with Health and HIV component priorities
- Confirm experience in RMNCH, adolescent health, HIV care, or primary health care systems
Step 2: Prepare Submission
- Follow UNICEF’s official Expression of Interest templates
- Include:
- Organizational profile and experience
- Proposed interventions aligned with programme outputs
- Geographic scope and target populations
- Implementation capacity and timeline
Step 3: Submit Expression of Interest
- Adhere to submission deadlines and guidelines outlined in the official Open Call
- Ensure all required documentation and supporting evidence are included
Step 4: Selection and Engagement
- UNICEF will review submissions in alignment with programme priorities
- Selected partners will collaborate with UNICEF, Government agencies, and other stakeholders for annual workplan development
Why This Programme Matters
- Improves survival, health, and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and women in Uganda
- Addresses critical gaps in maternal, newborn, and adolescent health services
- Strengthens primary health care and community health systems
- Promotes equitable access to quality health interventions for vulnerable populations
- Integrates digital health solutions to improve data-driven decision-making and public health outcomes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting incomplete or poorly aligned expressions of interest
- Failing to demonstrate capacity in RMNCH, adolescent health, HIV care, or primary health care
- Not clearly defining target populations or geographic scope
- Neglecting to integrate data or digital health considerations where relevant
- Ignoring coordination requirements with Government and UN agencies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who can apply?
NGOs and civil society organizations with experience in health, HIV, maternal and child health, or adolescent health in Uganda.
2. What is the focus of the programme?
Maternal and newborn health, adolescent health including HIV, immunization, primary health care, public health emergencies, and digital health interventions.
3. What populations are targeted?
Children under five, adolescents, and women during and after pregnancy, particularly the most vulnerable groups.
4. What outputs are expected?
Strengthened RMNCH and HIV care, improved primary health care and community health services, and integrated coordination with digital health tools.
5. How long is the programme?
Five years (2026–2030), implemented through annual workplans in coordination with stakeholders.
6. How are partners selected?
Through submission of Expressions of Interest assessed for alignment with UNICEF priorities, technical capacity, and ability to reach target populations.
7. Are digital health solutions required?
Yes. Integration of GIS, data visualization, and digital platforms is encouraged to support evidence-based planning and decision-making.
Conclusion
UNICEF’s Health and HIV component of the 2026–2030 Country Programme in Uganda offers a strategic platform to improve survival, health, and wellbeing for children, adolescents, and women.
Through partnerships with capable NGOs and civil society organizations, the programme strengthens health systems, addresses gaps in maternal and adolescent care, and integrates digital solutions to ensure sustainable and equitable health outcomes by 2030.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
