Members of Parliament sitting on the Health Committee have emphasized the need to expedite the formation of a legal framework to establish the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Minister for Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, with others before Parliament's Health Committee.
Members of
Parliament on the Health Committee have emphasized the need to expedite
the formation of a legal framework to establish the National Health Insurance
Scheme (NHIS).
This was
during the committee’s Thursday meeting with the Minister of Health, Jane Ruth
Aceng.
During the
committee meeting, Aceng noted that the Ministry of Health submitted a paper
before the Cabinet on the scheme, which remains pending.
“The
Ministry completed all the necessary steps and documentation for the National
Health Insurance Scheme and submissions were made. However, there has been no
response on this matter,” she said.
Ibanda
Rwemulikya, the Ntoroko County MP urged Cabinet to pronounce itself on the
matter.
“If the
Health Minister submitted this two years ago and nothing has been done, then it
is not good. People in this country are suffering yet the National Health Insurance
Scheme can support their health needs,” said Rwemulikya.
Florence
Nebanda, the Butaleja Woman MP said a Bill that would establish the scheme was
handled before and as such, ought to be brought back before Parliament
promptly.
“In the 10th
Parliament, the National Health Insurance Bill was passed and sent to the
President, who did not assent to it. He sent it back to the Ministry of Health
to come up with a better law. When do we expect it back in Parliament?” Nebanda
asked.
The Bill
that was previously passed in 2021, had a proposal for Ugandans aged 18 years and
above to pay a premium to the National Health Insurance Scheme, and a proposal
that the scheme be financed by a combination of employee and government
contributions.
However,
according to the Minister of Health, all modifications to the law, await
Cabinet approval before it is reintroduced in Parliament.
Meanwhile,
Nicholas Kamara, the Kabale Municipality MP, tasked the Minister with the budget
interventions aimed at answering the plea of medical interns in the country.
“Funding
has been provided for the new interns to be deployed,” Aceng said.
The
Minister said the Ministry has been allocated 4.004 trillion Shillings for the
health sector in the financial year 2025/2026, with key interventions being the prevention of high-burden and epidemic-prone diseases, prevention of
non-communicable diseases, and expending community health education.
Among the
unfunded priorities, Aceng called for the reinstatement of 100 billion
Shillings to National Medical Stores (NMS), that had initially been allocated
in financial year 2024/2025.
“This
money was meant for essential supplies, testing kits reagents and other
supplies for malaria and HIV/AIDS which contribute to the highest burden of
disease,” said Aceng.
On the
status of the construction of Lubowa Specialised Hospital, the Minister noted that
the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with overall
physical progress as of 31 December 2024, being at 45 percent.
“The
project has reached levels that need constant monitoring and supervision, and
as such 1.5 billion Shillings is needed for supervision in the financial year
2025/2026,” Aceng added.