Patients and attedants in a dilapidated corridor in a ward in Arua Hospital

By Barbara Among

The donor community has sent its strongest warning so far that the Government needs to show more commitment in fighting corruption in the health sector.

“Instead of continued pleading for addition financial resources, a clear and realistic planning strategy should be developed, including accountability by all for government and development partners’ money,” said Marc Denys, the chairman of the Health Development Partners.

“In order to improve our efficiency, we need to have zero tolerance for corruption. Managers in higher and medium positions should be held accountable for all their actions.”

Speaking at the closure of the mid-term review workshop for the health sector at Hotel Africana in Kampala yesterday, he said the donors considered the Global Fund case as the litmus test.

“The Government has promised that it will not be business as usual, both at central and regional level. The Inspector General of the Global Fund is returning in August. Then, we want to see change in the positive way,” Denys said.

Exactly two years after the Ogoola Commission published its report, exposing wide-spread diversion of funds as well as inadequate and improper accountability for the $43.3m received, nobody has been prosecuted.

But corruption was not only about mismanagement of funds, the representative of the donors said. It was also about the diversion of medicines and the absenteeism of medical workers.

“Health centres do not receive the necessary amount of drugs. People are appointed to health centres but never report to work. They are paid to do the job but they do not do it. Nobody blames them and there are no corrective actions: that is corruption,” Denys said.

He pointed out that the Government needed to improve the health infrastructure and make essential drugs available in all health centres.

He also said the Government should improve its supervisory role to curb absenteeism of health officials, and address the lack of condoms and AIDS drugs.

On the reconstruction of the north, the donors listed reproductive health, gender-based violence, infrastructure and human resources as the most urgent areas.

On the brain-drain in the health sector, Denys warned that the on-going recruitment drive by the Government would not solve the problem.

Instead, he said, a better remuneration package for health workers was the only way forward to attract and retain staff.

In his response, health minister Richard Nduhuura said his ministry was committed to the fight against corruption and would discipline non-performing health workers.

“It will not be business as usual. Time has come for the political supervisors, managers and technical committees to perform their duties. We are not going to tolerate non-performance.”

He explained that his ministry had committed sh12b to the recruitment of health workers for health centres III and for AIDS drugs.

He also said the Government would renovate referral hospitals in the next financial year.

In addition, he noted, they had given over 500 motorcycles to health centres III, and multipurpose vehicles to health centres IV.