RESUMO
Sub-Saharan Africa experiences human resources crisis in the health sector. Specifically, Uganda faces significant shortages in health care workforce at all levels. However, there is limited literature on factors contributing to health care workforce absenteeism. This study aims to explore reasons for absenteeism among health workers in rural Uganda. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and focus groups. Eight focus groups were conducted with participants (n = 27) selected from 39 selected health centers. Four main themes emerged as the reasons for absenteeism among health workers. These included personal/family related challenges, distance or transportation issues, income specifically additional sources of income, and poor support/supervision. Barriers to active engagement at work were also identified, including loss of motivation, concerns at home, patient level issues, and lack of equipment. Recommendations were also elicited from the participants. These findings are critical in formulating and developing interventions to address absenteeism and low performance among health workers.