Covid testing charges spark public outrage

The government announcement that the cost of voluntary Covid-19 testing will be met by the respective individuals and companies has triggered public controversy and protests from sections of society.

Various workers and politicians have protested this saying the cost is high and should be subsidised or the testing be made free to benefit all Ugandans.

Mr Wilson Usher Owere, the chairperson general of the National Organisation of Trade Unions (Notu), said the fees are unfair, adding that it is tantamount to imposing another tax on Ugandans.
“It is very unfair for an ordinary Ugandan. Was it approved by Parliament or Ministry of Health to put the charges on the people? Let government fight Covid-19, people are not working, the economy is not doing well, what happened to donations?” Mr Owere asked yesterday.

On Sunday, Ministry of Health introduced a fee of Shs240,500 per Covid-19 test for individuals and organisations effective today.

The ministry said it is a cost recovery mechanism that will enable government acquire more kits for continued access to testing services in the country.

“The ministry continues to receive requests from organisations to have their staff tested which it finds difficult to sustain due to inadequate in-country stock of test kits, resource constraints and the high cost of Covid-19 testing,” reads the statement by Mr Geoffrey Sseremba, the Ministry of Health undersecretary.

Both public and private organisations that wish to have their staff tested for purposes of Covid-19 prevention, Ugandans returning from abroad, truck drivers at different points of entry, individuals seeking to know their Covid-19 status, among others, will bear their own costs to access testing services.

However, the ministry said testing remains free for patients, who present to health facilities with Covid-19 symptoms, contacts to Covid-19 patients, frontline health workers, and surveillance samples, among others.

The announcement has triggered an uproar among the public, who say this cost is quite high while others took to social media questioning the applicability of the fees and testing.

“Paying that money for Covid-19 testing is useless. I might pay it and test today but as I wait for results between that time, I might get the virus, especially we who use public transport. So really what’s the point in paying that amount of money?” one Ms Ruth Arinaitwe said yesterday.

Mr Owere said Covid-19 testing should be free for all Ugandans and organisations can at least be charged $6 per person as this appears reasonable but $65 as announced by government is prohibitive yet most organisations are currently limping financially.

Dr Mukuzi Muhereza, the Uganda Medical Association general secretary, said although the testing charges seem to be free for some categories of people, in reality in some circumstances the beneficiaries might have to pay, especially since the service is not widely available in the country.

“Someone is in Zombo and I am an alert and I don’t want to be stigmatised by taking me to an isolation centre to feed me on posho and beans. I might have to prove myself that I am negative by going to a private health centre and pay that money,” he reasoned.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party castigated government for imposing testing charges on Ugandans who seek to know their Covid-19 status.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, the FDC mobiliser for northern region Hassan Fungaroo Kaps said charging Ugandans a testing fee is an indication that government is abdicating its responsibilities and abandoning it to vulnerable citizens.

He said if President Museveni could afford to buy bicycles for NRM village chairpersons countrywide, it is absurd the same government does not have money to test all Ugandans free of charge.

Mr Emmauel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said the amount set by government is already subsidised and people should not expect further discount.

Mr Sseremba maintained the Ministry of Health position on the testing fees, saying all those who fit in the category of paying will bear own costs.

“An ordinary person remains covered under the free of charge services. For the last five months we have not been testing people who are not contacts, so there is a criteria of qualifying for testing. Mass testing will come at another time, not at this time,” Mr Sseremba said.

There have been reports that the set price for Covid-19 testing was set after the Ministry of Health was denied additional funding by the Ministry of Finance on account of failing to account for Covid-19 donations.

However, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, the secretary to the Treasury, dismissed the claims. He confirmed that Ministry of Health had asked for additional money, but Finance told them to wait for the next quarter.

“It’s not true, what is true is that they asked for money but we had released money for the quarter, therefore we don’t have extra funds for the quarter until the next quarter,” Mr Muhakanizi said yesterday.

Asked what purpose the requisitioned money was meant for, Mr Muhakanizi said he did not have details at the time we contacted him.

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