'Lack of national health insurance limiting healthcare access'
“The National Health Insurance Scheme enables the larger population to access decent care. If you don’t have it as a country, it means that such care is only available to people in dire need or those who can pay,” C-Care IHK general manager Andrew Mugalu says.
Dr Miriam Mutero-Musinga - General Manager, C Care IHK, said the facility's vision is to be the most trusted health care provider in the region. (Credit: Juliet Waiswa)
KAMPALA - Health experts have emphasised the urgent need for Uganda to implement a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for all citizens.
They say the absence of a national health insurance system limits access to decent care for the majority of Ugandans.
“The National Health Insurance Scheme enables the larger population to access decent care. If you don’t have it as a country, it means that such care is only available to people in dire need or those who can pay,” C-Care IHK general manager Andrew Mugalu says.
He adds that apart from Uganda and Burundi, all other countries in the region have already implemented the scheme.
The experts say health insurance will also allow the population to access private healthcare facilities, easing pressure on public hospitals.
Speaking at a media breakfast meeting organised by C-Care Uganda at Onomo Hotel in Kampala on November 12, 2025, Mugalu said, despite hospitals paying income tax, medical equipment remains exempt from tax, and setting up a hospital infrastructure is still heavily taxed.
“Hospitals are charged the same power and water tariffs as ordinary businesses, even though power in hospitals is used to save lives.
Dr Juma Fauz Kavuma, the director of Medical Services at C-Care Uganda, said, highlighting that frequent power blackouts pose another major challenge for hospitals.
“We have quite a number of equipment that are very expensive and difficult to maintain. To protect them, we have had to invest heavily in UPS machines and two huge generators at our facility, which has tripled our energy costs,” he said.
Kavuma explained that the high operational costs inevitably drive up the cost of healthcare and maintenance expenses.
Azhar Sundhoo - CEO C Care East Africa- said they have trained doctors in Nairobi, Kenya, and now they are about to carry out those surgeries here in Uganda instead of the patient traveling.
Dr Miriam Mutero-Musinga - General Manager, C Care IHK, said the facility's vision is to be the most trusted health care provider in the region.
We have positioned ourselves by getting all specialist doctors to make sure that the patients get comprehensive care from a team of specialists,” Musinga said.