Forensic medicine services in Uganda - present and future

Forensic medicine services (medico-legal services) as it is provided today in Uganda is discussed with special reference to forensic pathology and also to future plans for improvement to ensure quality service. Forensic medicine services are divided into clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology. In Uganda, these services are rendered partly by pathologists attached to University, by pathologists and medical officers employed by police and by medical officers attached to hospitals. In Uganda, all types of unnatural deaths are reported to nearest police station and appointed investigating police officer(s) will take necessary action to have a medico-legal postmortem done as soon as possible. Currently there is no qualified forensic pathologist in Uganda. Suggestions are made with regard to the enactment of a Forensic Medicine Services Act by the Department of Health, the creation of a forensic medicine unit with, under the administrative umbrella of pathology department, in medical schools and imparting of forensic medicine training to anatomical pathologists to act as a qualified, specialist forensic pathologists.