Govt asked to expedite creation of National Health Insurance

Civil Society Organizations want more funding allocated to the Human Capital Development sector in the coming 2022/23 financial year budget.

They want the government to fast track enactment of the National Health Insurance Bill and policy to address gaps in the health sector. 

“Although Human Capital Development which takes sectors like health, education and gender has been allocated 18% of the total resource envelope (which is sh48.1 trillion) for the financial year 2022/2023, we as CSOs are still sceptical of government’s commitment to resource this sector that is critical to the welfare of citizens,’’ Mitchell Ainebyoona, an economist from CSBAG explained.

During their Friday (May 20) engagement with members of Parliament on budgetary funding for the health, education and gender sector, the budget activists implored the government to pay much attention to the inspection of service delivery and make appropriate allocations to realize returns on this funding. 

They have also challenged the government to expedite the enactment of the National Health Insurance Scheme bill which has remained stuck in the corridors of Parliament and the Executive to ensure the health and wellbeing of Ugandans. 

Members of the health committee who attended the engagement have committed to move the National Health Insurance Service Scheme bill as a private members bill if the government continues to drag its feet. 

The National Health Insurance Scheme Bill, 2019 will be useful to Uganda if it can ensure access to health not only for the contributors and their dependents but even the most impoverished.