Shs667b Covid allocation is unnecessary, say experts

The government yesterday announced Shs3.72 trillion as budget for the health sector in this  financial year, an increase by nine percentage points from Shs3.35 trillion in the previous financial year.

However, the budget still falls short of the 2001 Abuja declaration by the government of increasing the health budget share to 15 percent of the national budget to improve service delivery. The 2022/2023 allocation for health is 7.7 percent of the 48.1 trillion national budget.

While presenting the budget in Kampala yesterday, Mr Matia Kasaija, the Finance minister, said they expect nothing but quality services because they have allocated Shs495 billion for enhancement of the salary of health workers and scientists, and Shs667 billion for curbing the Covid-19 resurgence.

“The emphasis now is on mass vaccination of all eligible persons [against Covid-19] and community disease surveillance by strengthening village health teams (VHTs) with training and equipping them with a smartphone and bicycle. Additional health assistants and surveillance officers will be recruited to support the VHTs,” he said.

According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health, the country is registering an average of 90 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths, signalling a worrying resurgence of the pandemic.

The rise in cases comes amid low Covid-19 vaccination coverage due to hesitancy and limited access, a suspected emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus and violation of preventive measures.

The latest statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that out of around 44.7 million doses, the country acquired through donations and direct procurement, 21 million doses have been administered since March 2021.

From this, at least 16 million people are vaccinated with one dose out of the 22 million people (about 50 percent of the population) who are 18 years and above. Up to 10.9 million people are fully vaccinated. 
The government plans to inoculate 70 percent of the population to effectively contain the pandemic to guarantee economic recovery.

“The Ministry of Health will start implementing the Uganda Covid-19 Emergency Response and Preparedness Project supported by a grant from the World Bank amounting to $180.3 million (Shs667.1 billion). 

“This grant will finance the rapid detection, prevention and quick responses to threats posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It will also finance the strengthening of national systems for public health preparedness,” Mr Kasaija added.

Dr Herbert Luswata, the general secretary of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), while commenting on the budget for Covid-19 response, said it is unnecessary.

“The Shs667b for just Covid-19 response at such a time when cases are very few and many things in the health sector are lacking is not necessary. We need to give more resources to the National Medical Stores to procure drugs for patients,” he told Monitor.

Dr Peter Waiswa, a public health specialist at Makerere University, said the government should integrate Covid-19 management into the health system to cut spending.

“We are losing more newborn babies and mothers to malaria, which is more than the deaths caused by Covid-19. Are we allocating resources to areas that politicians want or where we need it the most?” he asked.

Although Mr Kasaija made a pronouncement about improving health facilities, he didn’t make a specific pronouncement on the recent declaration by the Health ministry that 71 districts are experiencing spikes in malaria cases. 

Malaria kills at least 16 Ugandans each day, according to the Ministry of Health.
“The development of health infrastructure nationwide will continue. The rehabilitation and expansion of the following general hospitals will be undertaken – Itojo, Kaabong, Abim, Kambuga, Masindi, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Bugiri and Amudat. In addition, 43 health centre IIs will be upgraded to health centre IIIs and 17 new health centre IIIs will be built in the sub-counties without health facilities. Seventy-five staff houses will be built in Karamoja region,” Mr Kasaija said.

He said the construction and equipping of a modern heart facility will commence in the coming financial year in Naguru.

“This $70 million (Shs262.8b) facility will be funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Saudi Fund for Development, and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund). I have allocated a total of Shs 3.722 trillion for healthcare delivery in Financial Year 2022/20223,” Mr Kasaija said.

Environment and science

According to Mr Kasaija, Shs1 trillion has also been allocated for improving water and environmental challenges which have a direct impact on health.

“National safe water coverage now stands at 69.8 percent, with coverage in rural areas at 68 percent and 71.6 percent in urban areas. Our target is to increase safe water coverage to 81 percent over the medium term,” he said.

The minister said they have also allocated Shs274.4 billion towards advancing innovation and technological development. He said they are developing Covid-19 vaccines, drugs and launching a satellite to address the health development needs of the country.