The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Heart institute failed to utilize Shillings 420million for the recruitment of specialist doctors.
The matter came to light when Dr. John Omagino, the Director of Institute appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on Monday.
The committee chair and Budadiri West MP, Nathan Nandala Mafabi tasked Dr. Omangino to explain why the institute failed to fully utilize a budget release of Shillings 18.6bn for the 2018/2019 Financial Year leaving an unspent balance of Shillings 472M.
He explained that the unspent salaries was meant for salaraies of unfulfilled positions arising from low attraction of super specialists like consultant pediatricians and cardiac surgeons.
The committee asked Dr. Omagino to provide proof that the positions had been advertised in an attempt to fulfil the vacancies at the institute.
Dr. Omagino revealed that on top of the failed recruitment, he has received a number of resignations from doctors as a result of poor pay at the institute.
The institute has also come under fire for diversion of funds from planned outputs to other underfunded activities. The amount of funds mischarged for the 2018/2019 financial year totals to Shillings 579m.
The bulk of this money amounting to Shillings 311M was diverted from short term consultancy services towards the purchase of super specialized supplies used during and after open heart surgery.
Under cross examination from MPs why the money for consultancy was diverted Dr. Omangino revealed that the short term consultancy services were packaged as part of a project to cater for allowances of specialists working on open heart surgery patients.
This mini project he further asserted also included funds for specialized supplies and maintenance for equipment.
He said that this project budget was organized deliberately to ensure funds meant for supplies to take care of patients are not affected by budget cuts.
MPs also demanded an explanation as to why Shillings 76M was diverted from staff allowances to pay board expenses and why the expenses were never budgeted for since it was inaugurated in June 2017.
The director stressed that the money was never allocated despite several pleas to finance.
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