Abstract / Summary
Background: This study focused on determining health system factors contributing to mortality from pneumonia among children aged 5 years and below at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was adopted, employing quantitative data collection methods with the use of self-administered questionnaires to collect data. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 52 participants. Data were manually tallied and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, then presented in the form of tables, charts, and graphs for clarity. Results: The most, 22(42.31%) of the respondents were aged 1- 2 years, while the minority, 4(7.69%), were aged 6-12months. Most respondents, 32(61.54%), were Male children, while the least of the respondents, 20(38.46%), were female children. Regarding drugs and medical supplies, the availability of drugs and medical supplies was inconsistent. Findings further revealed that 69.23% of the respondents received all the recommended immunizations, while 30.77% did not receive all the recommended immunizations. Conclusion: Health facility factors include the distance of the health facility from home and the availability of medical supplies. Addressing these factors is critical to reducing pneumonia-related deaths. Recommendations: Prioritization of resource allocation and community sensitization to reduce pneumonia mortality in rural districts, strengthening caregiver education, improving immunization and nutrition programs, and expanding hospital capacity for pediatric pneumonia management.