Atwine directs hospital to waive CT scan charges
Left to right: MP Abed Bwanika, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine and Dr David David Kasadha, a radiographer, inspect the new CT scan machine at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital on Tuesday. PHOTO/MALIK Fahad JJINGO
What you need to know:
Dr Atwine wants healthcare services to remain accessible to all patients, especially those who may not be able to afford the standard fees.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine, has ordered the management of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital to give a waiver to patients seeking computerised Axial Tomography Scan (CT scan) services.
Last October, the government gave a CT scan machine to the hospital, and it became operational in June.
However, to access CT scan services, patients are required to pay Shs120,000 for a plain brain scan, brain contrasted scan (Shs150,000) , chest contrasted scan (Shs 200,000) and abdominal contrasted scan (Shs200,000).
“The rates for CT scan are already subsided, but there are situations where a patient may not afford those standard fees. The hospital board of governors should sit and consider such cases by giving such patients a waiver. If they [hospital board] also assess that a patient cannot afford paying any money, the person should get the service for free,” she said while commissioning the renovated X-Ray and CT scan units at Masaka Regional Hospital on Tuesday.
Both units were renovated by Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH).
Dr Atwine said the charges were introduced to maintain the machine. She, however, said the X-ray services are free for all patients in the general wards.
“It is only patients from the private wing who should pay for X-ray services,” she said.
The permanent secretary’s response followed public outcry that patients seeking X-ray and CT scan services were being charged exorbitant fees at a public facility, where services are presumably free of charge.
“Our people must know that health services cannot be completely free. Here in Uganda, the government subsidises most of the services offered at our hospitals. In developed countries, those with money pay to enable the have- nots access the services,” she said.
A CT scan machine is used to identify a disease or injury within the body. It detects tumors or lesions within the abdomen, identifies heart diseases or abnormalities, and locates injuries, pulmonary embolisms (blood clots), hemorrhage, excess fluids and other conditions such as emphysema or pneumonia.
The Masaka Regional Referral Hospital Director, Dr James Elima, said his team would enforce the directive.
“The hospital board of governors will assess the patients to ensure that those that get the waiver are really fit for it to avoid being misused,” he said.
KOFIH also donated an ambulance for Lwemiyaga Health Centre IV in Sembabule District and another for Gombe Hospital in Butambala District in addition to constructing a surgical ward, theatre and maternity ward at Butenga Health Centre IV in Bukomansimbi.
The organisation further donated medical kits to Village Health Teams, two pick-up trucks to the districts of Masaka and Bukomansimbi and two other vehicles to Ministry of Health.
Ms Jung –Eun Lee, the deputy Korean ambassador, pledged continued support to improve health services in the country.
“We are privileged to partner with the government of Uganda and we shall maintain our support to such comprehensive services,” she said.
About Masaka Hospital
Masaka Regional Referral Hospital serves districts of Masaka, Rakai, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Sembabule, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Kalangala.
Being on the busy Mombasa-Kampala -Mbarara-Kigali highway, makes it the first point of call for patients, mainly accident victims. Consequently, the hospital’s average daily contact with patients is about 2,000.
