OBJECTIVES: Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a useful tool for decision making especially in resource-constrained and high disease-burden countries like Uganda. As the use of HTA is not institutionalized in Uganda, this study sought to examine the extent to which HTA informs policy and financing for healthcare decisions in the Ministry of Health and make recommendations for future use.

METHODS: A survey administered to 70 respondents in the 50 divisions and sections under the 14 departments in Uganda’s Ministry of Health (MoH). The respondents included Economists, Planners, Medical and Administrative officers. The study sought to establish the officers’ knowledge of HTA, their appreciation of HTA’s contribution to decision making processes, previous use of HTA data, challenges and opportunities for future use.

RESULTS: There was a 71% (50) response rate and non-response was due to scheduling conflicts. While 69% (34) of all respondents had no knowledge of HTA; 26% (13) acknowledged the need for HTA to inform prioritization and resource allocation in their departmental workplans. 14% (7) of all respondents stated that HTA had informed some decision-making processes such as the costing of scenarios in the development of the Uganda National Essential Health Care Package. Of these however, 57% (4) had been oriented and 2 were fully skilled in HTA from postgraduate training. 76% of all respondents identified limited capacity as one of the challenges in the use of HTA, which are currently conducted by research and academic institutions. Insufficient funds to support HTAs was another challenge and previous assessments were funded by external financiers.

CONCLUSIONS: Although HTA provides evidence to inform design, prioritization and resource allocation against limited budgets, its adoption in Uganda is hindered by the fact that there is no requirement for formal decision-making structures to use it. This study highlights the missed opportunity in the use of HTA for evidence-based decision-making.