The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Civil Society Organizations- CSOs are pushing for an increase of the primary health care budget.
In the budget proposals presented by the Ministry of Health to the Health Committee of Parliament, the Primary Health Care (PHC) grant has been allocated 520 billion shillings, a reduction of Shs 2 billion from the current financial year.
The CSOs are worried that if this proposal is approved, Ugandans should be braced for tough times since it means that health facilities will be under-resourced and therefore will not function efficiently.
David Walakira, a Health Financing Advisor at OPTIONS, an international development consultancy organization said having the budget reduced is risky especially now that the country is getting ready for the national insurance scheme. He says now is the time for government health facilities to replenish as they get ready to offer a better service through insurance and clear that rot that is currently associated with public healthcare.
Diana Tibesigwa, a policy officer at World Vision says reduction of funds is being proposed at a bad time when external funding to the country is also reducing and yet many facilities still report drug stock-outs as the annual access to medicines report shows 33% of the facilities experienced a stock out last year even as the National Medical Stores budget has been progressive.
Dr Micheal Bukenya who heads the parliamentary health committee said the challenge and the reason as to why the PHC budget is likely to remain constant is because facilities have not been accounting for the money they have been receiving.
In fact for him, contrary to claims by CSOs, the PHC grant has been on the increase over the years that even last year some funds were returned over non-utilization.
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