Perceived impact of regular short-term medical missions: a qualitative study in Uganda

Introduction: While short-term medical missions (STMMs) are widely used to deliver humanitarian healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, existing research has largely focused on one-off interventions and has highlighted ongoing concerns related to sustainability, continuity of care, ethical practice, and local capacity building. The emerging model of recurring, regular STMMs remains underexplored. This study investigates the perceived impact, challenges, and systemic contributions of such missions through a qualitative case study of Mission of Hope in Uganda. Materials and Methods: We employed a qualitative case study approach, combining semi-structured interviews with international medical volunteers (n = 6) and a focus group discussion with local partners (n = 10). The study adhered to EQUATOR guidelines for qualitative research, ensuring rigorous data collection and analysis. Results: Six themes and 21 subthemes were identified. Key barriers included financial constraints, infrastructural limitations, volunteer turnover, and resistance to new technologies. Participants reported perceived benefits including improvements in quality of care, local capacity building, and strengthened cross-cultural relationships. The role of trust, continuity, and humility in long-term effectiveness was emphasized. Ethical concerns related to patient autonomy, data privacy, and sustainability were also noted. Conclusions: Regular STMMs were perceived by participants to offer advantages over traditional one-off missions by enabling iterative learning, deeper local engagement, and potentially more sustainable contributions to healthcare delivery—provided they are ethically designed and collaboratively managed. Findings inform future policy, funding models, and ethical frameworks for humanitarian medical initiatives.