'Syphilis is a normal thing that children are born with..' Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Maternal and Congenital Syphilis Care in Kampala, Uganda

In Kampala, Uganda, caregivers and providers identified barriers and facilitators to antenatal and newborn syphilis testing and treatment, including stigma, injection fear, and stockouts.

• Why it matters: Congenital syphilis remains a major cause of preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths, yet implementation of testing and treatment is hindered in real-world care pathways.
• What they did: From March–May 2022, 15 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions, and 16 key informant interviews were analyzed with CFIR in NVivo 12, following COREQ.
• The result: Respectful counselling, phone follow-up, and routine antenatal integration were valued, while fear of painful injections, stigma, low male involvement, fragmented systems, limited infant diagnostics, and medication stockouts impeded care.