FDC seek blanket ban on treatment abroad

The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party is seeking a blanket ban on state-sponsored treatment abroad.

The party deputy spokesperson, Mr John Kikonyogo, has said the government should equip all the health centres in the country  so that every health condition is managed internally rather than spending taxpayers’ money on taking a few individuals abroad for treatment when the majority of Ugandans are dying.

He explained that if any person is taken out for treatment, they should be able to foot their own medical bills.

“As FDC, we want a total ban so that whoever is taken out of Uganda pays for himself. We can equip our hospitals such as Mulago and everyone is banned from going out of Uganda to seek treatment except when they are paying for themselves,” Mr Kikonyogo said during the press briefing at their party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala, yesterday. He added: “That is the only way we can stop these people from wasting our money, taking only individuals outside when the rest of Ugandans are dying.”

Mr Kikonyogo noted that of late, the government has started taking even members of the Opposition to balance the equation so that they can silence them from talking about the matter.

Baryomunsi’s condition

He was reacting to the condition of the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, who was last week airlifted from Kanungu District to Kampala for treatment when he collapsed.

He said had hospitals in Kanungu been well equipped, the minister would have been managed in his home district, saying not everyone in that area can afford to be airlifted to Kampala.

Challenge tasked
“This is a confirmatory test of Dr Baryomunsi, as the party, we wish him quick recovery and now maybe he can be our ambassador to tell his colleagues in Cabinet that we need to repair our hospitals and put a lot of money in our health [system],” Mr Kikonyogo said.

President Museveni has on many occasions said equipping hospitals will help in treating specialised cases with the country instead of donating money to other countries.

The Health Ministry spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, said the government is trying to reduce international referrals by ensuring that the services that take people abroad are in the country.

“We have been trying to reduce that foreign exchange haemorrhage to ensure that we have most of these services such as kidney and cornea transplants conducted here, and Mulago hospital is in advanced stages. The only one of the aspects that was limiting the initial transplant is the Bill which was passed but I think is still before the president,” Mr Ainebyoona said.

According to statistics, the government spends about Shs377 billion on treating government officials abroad annually.

Govt plan

The government approved the project to construct Lubowa specialised hospital in Uganda on the 32-hectare piece of land located at Lubowa, Wakiso District.

The hospital is meant to reduce or eliminate cases of Ugandans who fly out of the country to seek medical attention abroad, especially in India and South Africa, and also cut down on the costs involved in travelling abroad to seek treatment.

However, the project that was handed over to main contractor, Finasi Company, after Parliament guaranteed a Shs1.3 trillion loan for its works, with an agreement that the construction would be completed by June 2021, was later extended to 2024 after the contractor reportedly highlighted setbacks occasioned by Covid-19 lockdown and heavy rainfall.