HEALTH IS CRITICAL, THERE IS NEED TO COME UP WITH A SPECIAL FUND TO MEET ISSUES IN THE HEALTH SECTOR

The Government of Uganda came up with a Road fund out of which funds for road works can be got. It is high time some similar fund is put in place to boost the Health sector. William Kituuka Kiwanuka -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Health minister Christine Ondoa newvision By Moses Walubiri Uganda’s health sector risks running into a crisis unless government reconsiders its ban on recruitment of staff before the end of this financial year, the chairman Health Service Commission, Prof. Pius Okong, told MPs. Citing financial constraints, government slapped a moratorium against recruitment in all ministries this financial year. This means that hospitals, can only recruit to replace those who have either resigned, died or been fired. In his plea with the Health Committee of parliament to effect the policy change, Okong decried the current under staffing levels in public hospitals and health centers, partly blaming it for the high infant and maternal mortality rates in the country. “If we don’t recruit this financial year and only replace those leaving the service, the manpower crisis in the health sector will be compounded. Some health facilities have less than 30% staffing level which is untenable for a sector that is very crucial, Okong said. The average staffing level for Ministry of Health is 58%, according to the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Jane Aceng. However, the ministry has appealed to the Health Committee to have it scaled up to 70% in order to reduce the patients –doctor ratio. With health ministry having 61,861 medical personnel on its payroll, government would need an additional sh65b in annual wages to recruit 7,281 personnel needed to achieve 70% staffing level. However, if the ministry chooses to register 100% staffing level, it will need to recruit an additional 24,609 personnel at sh149b in annual wages. Government has earmarked sh245b to cater for the ministry wage component in the current financial year. The HSC is mandated to appoint medical personnel to man health facilities in the country unlike other departments and ministries whose staff recruitment is handled by the Public Service Commission.