We need a universal health care system

Author: Benard Mujuni. PHOTO/COURTESY 

What you need to know:

  • It is a shame that the world lacks a universal health care system which would treat everybody the same.

When  President  Museveni addressed the United Nations (UN) against vaccine nationalism, some people thought it was mere Pan Africanism as espoused by the Head of State like he always does.

Access to vaccine, treatment and health care is a fundamental human right that touches on life and death.  It is, however, not mentioned in the fight to ensure universal vaccination.  

Access to quality health care and affordable treatment should equally be put on the agenda of world leaders as Covid-19 treatment inequitably affects the vulnerable people, especially the elderly, women, PWDs, minorities and the poor.

On January 29,    former Ethics minister, the Rev Fr Simon Lokodo, succumbed to Covid-19 upon being admitted to a Switzerland Hospital. 

 Shockingly, the first message the embassy received was the demand note of more than Euros 20,000.  
For those who have been crying about Uganda, you should not get sick abroad where only insurance works to mitigate the bills/costs.  Despite insurance from Uganda, Fr Lokodo’s bills could not be absorbed easily without government intervention.  This contestation may delay access to health care or in fact quicken the same, depending on your status!

In Uganda, people had to surrender their land titles and collaterals before ICU admission when the Covid-19 pandemic hit hard.  This is terrible as it erodes confidence in our health care systems.

In a world of inequality and diversity, it is apparent that most Africans or Ugandans in diaspora will always experience inequitable access to goods and services even where systems seem to be ready to absorb.  There is institutionalised racism and inequity in the entire value chain of access to quality health care and medication in European countries.

It is a shame that the world lacks a universal health care system which would treat everybody the same.  The cost of health care insurance is equally unaffordable to most Ugandans hence propagating health inequities.

The cost of health care is a true manifestation of inequality.  The more wealth one has, the better access to quality health care either abroad or even in Uganda.  

In some instances, the rich and wealthy may be airlifted while the poor and vulnerable are dying. For instance in Kenya and Dubai medical tourism is high on agenda.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the fault lines of inequity and inequality in access to health care.  However, good weather conditions and good leadership has been key in mitigating Uganda’s Coivid-19 pandemic challenges.  

In other countries, , the winter is   exacerbating the situation, people are actually freezing and dying of cold.

The wheezing winter can make the situation worse from mere acceptable unwellness we are accustomed here in Uganda.  In essence, weather pattern can play a big role in mitigating the impact and spread of the pandemic, on a population.  Indeed life started in Africa, probably in Uganda.    

Fr Lokodo attended all the meetings in Geneva, contributing and joking about his record in service.  I bet if it was in Uganda, the situation would have been different but for the weather and readiness of health care and social support, he could not navigate through with multiple Covid-19 variants.  It is, therefore, sad that it still remains a big cost to repatriate his body back home.  One week in Geneva was all his soul had waited for, to escape his body.

It is, therefore, necessary for government to focus on Covid-19 vaccination but more importantly on affordable, accessible quality health care in Uganda.  Perhaps it is time to overhaul the proposed social health insurance scheme with new challenges paused by the Covid-19 pandemic with an equity lense in the perspective.

Mujuni Benard (Esq), Legal & Policy Specialist.  (Part of the UPR Delegation to Geneva)