Introduction

Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) continue to play a significant role in maternal and newborn health services in Uganda, with 29.1% of deliveries still conducted by TBAs. Although the government initially recognized and trained TBAs in 1992, their services were later banned in 2010 due to poor health outcomes, a ban reinforced in May 2024. Despite this, enforcement has been weak, and TBAs remain widely accessible. This reliance threatens Uganda’s progress toward achieving SDG targets for maternal mortality reduction. The study seeks to explore the origins, training pathways, service packages, management practices of TBAs, factors influencing service utilization, and mothers’ experiences.