Health stakeholders urge govt to scale up malaria fight
Malaria consumes the biggest budget in terms of disease condition, according to Ministry of Health. Photo | File
What you need to know:
- Speaking during the presentation of the Health Financing Landscape report to the Parliamentary Committee on Health on Friday, officials from the Ministry of Health (MOH) led by Dr Sarah Byakika, the commissioner for planning and policy, said that Uganda is losing a lot.
Uganda's health sector stakeholders are calling on the government to intensify the fight against malaria, the country's leading killer disease.
Speaking during the presentation of the Health Financing Landscape report to the Parliamentary Committee on Health on Friday, officials from the Ministry of Health (MOH) led by Dr Sarah Byakika, the commissioner for planning and policy, said that Uganda is losing a lot.
"Malaria consumes the biggest budget in terms of disease condition, at 27 percent. Donor money is unpredictable, and private health schemes contribute less than 5 per cent to total health expenditure," Dr Byakika said.
He highlighted that in the financial year 2019-2020, HIV and other STDs took the largest share of the [health] budget, but for the last two years, malaria has been consuming the biggest budget.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global funding for malaria control is inadequate, with only half of the needed budget available in 2022.
Uganda's malaria cases and deaths have surged, with an estimated 12.7 million cases and over 17,556 deaths annually, resulting in an average economic loss of over $500 million (Shs1.8 trillion).
Dr Byakika, asked the government to increase its commitment in promoting the right to health for all Ugandans.
“There is not much contribution of government revenue to the health sector hence people have to pay extra and yet it is inadequate and the poor start paying more than they can afford which is a catastrophic,” she said.
Dr Jimmy Opigo, Head of Malaria Control Program, noted that the government has increased interventions, including nationwide distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and improved treatment efficiency.
Civil society organizations, like CEHURD, are urging parliament to expedite the National Health Insurance Scheme Bill to expand health insurance coverage and social health protection.
"Investing in health will enhance economic productivity, improve educational outcomes, increase life expectancy, reduce healthcare costs, and promote social equity," said Ms Fatia Kiyange, Executive Director of CEHURD.
