Ministry of Health
Tel: 256-414-340874 /231563 /9 | Fax: 256-41-4231584
Email: info@health.go.ug | Web: www.health.go.ug/
Location: Plot 6 Lourdel Rd, Nakasero, Kampala Uganda Postal Address: P.O. Box 7272 Kampala Uganda  MOH: Government Should Increase Funding for Healthcare, Says Minister Health minister Elioda Tumwesigye, has said government expenditure on basic healthcare for each Ugandan should be increased to Shs147,000. On average, government spends Shs47,000 on basic healthcare per person.Dr Tumwesigye said once it is increased, the Health ministry would improve basic health services to ordinary Ugandans.Speaking during the Annual Health Sector Performance Review meeting in Kampala, Dr Tumwesigye said though the ministry had requested that it be allocated 10 per cent of the 2015/16 Budget, it got only 8.5 per cent.Dr Henry Mwebasa, the acting Director of health services, planning and development at the Health ministry, said there is need to bridge the huge financing gap in the health sector to improve service delivery.The minister said government is looking for alternative sources of funding and also looking at implementing the National Health Insurance Scheme. Read more ▪ MOH: Government Gives Chinese Contractor Ultimatum Government has given China Railway No5 Engineering Group an ultimatum to complete the rehabilitation of Nebbi hospital or have their contract terminated.The Ministry of Health project manager, Mr Francis Wakabi, while meeting with contractors, consultants and district leaders said the government has sent the contractor several reminders over delay in completing the project but they have paid a deaf ear."The speed at which the project is being implemented by the contractor is very low as was stipulated during signing of the contract.Therefore, there are no reasons to keep them on site," Mr Wakabi said.He said the contractor has failed to beat deadline within which they were expected to complete work. Read more ▪ The health ministry has supported the quest by local manufacturers of medicines and other health supplies to be protected from foreign competition to enhance citizens’ access to drugs.“Medicines like Panadol and Septrine can be made and bought cheaply in Uganda but we continue buying them from abroad. It is a shame,” Dr. Asuman Lukwago, the ministry’s permanent secretary noted.“Local pharmaceutical companies can be given affirmative action in terms of resources and assured market to boost local capacity. Procuring from home is cheaper; it can improve availability of medicines.”He was responding to drug manufacturers who requested the Government to adopt a protectionism policy in the pharmaceutical sector.“We (local producers) have a lot of capacity but the country is not utilising it. We have a lot of capacity for most generic drugs. Why do we keep importing them?” Ramesh Babu, the director of ABACUS, one of the local producers of health supplies, asked.“Unless you give us protection, we shall continue wasting money procuring drugs from abroad,” he added, arguing that continued importation deters investment in the sector. Read more ▪ |