Uganda’s health facilities seem to be ill-equipped and have reached the extent of not providing quality services to patients, thus a need to strengthen them.

Even the top-performing medics have long travelled abroad in search of greener pastures.

Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) chairperson Jimmy Akena says there is a need to strengthen all the health facilities in the country to help people detect diseases affecting them at an early stage.

He made these remarks while addressing the press at the party’s headquarters in Kampala on January 24, 2024.

The UPC president said many people succumb to diseases they do not know, and had the health system been good, they would seek the right medical attention.

Akena stressed that some groups of people (those with money) tend to seek the right medical attention from far better hospitals abroad, which is an indicator that what is at home is not up to standard.

“We need more referral hospitals to deal with more complex problems. What has transpired in the system is not good enough. By the time you realise that there is a problem, it's already too late, he said.

Akena observed that because of poor health facilities, many people are suffering, and it becomes worse for those living below the poverty line.

Akena thought that because of such issues, Uganda lost key personalities to diseases they would have treated had they known what the problem was.

He cited the example of former speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah who passed away on March 22, 2021, at Seattle Hospital in Washington, US. A recent example is the Dokolo woman member of parliament (MP), Hon. Cecelia Ogwal aka Iron Lady, who passed away in India as a result of a similar disease.

According to Akena, the Iron Lady was rushed to India after a realisation that her illness (cancer) was worsening and could not be solved in Ugandan health facilities.

He said many suffer and cannot find ways to fly abroad to receive specialized medication. Akena attributed the problem to the Government for delaying fully investing in health facilities at the national level that can meet the standards for treating critically ill patients.

Reasonably, due to ill-equipped health facilities, Akena said, some specialized medics have left for greener pastures, hoping to find a place where they can earn more and also exploit their skills.

Akena revealed that when his late father, Dr. Milton Obote, was critically ill in South Africa, hundreds of Ugandan doctors had come to offer help.

“We have experts all over the world; we have people extremely doing difficult surgeries in the first world. We need to create an environment where they can come back and work in Uganda.

“Many of us get sick and fly to South Africa; you can go there and find many Ugandan doctors,” he said.

What specialists say

According to Uganda Medical Association (UMA) president Dr Herbet Luswata, many medical professionals, especially specialists, are moving to the diaspora: 2,000 doctors are abroad, and 60% of them are specialists.

He said Uganda is quickly losing its medical specialists over not being paid enough. “We sent five doctors to Rwanda, and more will be going,” Luswata said in a phone interview.

“The challenge is to ensure better pay for specialists. Salary increments for specialists are not equal to their level of education and experience,” he added.

According to a UNICEF budget brief, only 0.8% of the population has access to health insurance. The health ministry awaits approval from Cabinet for the National Health Insurance Scheme Bill, under which every Ugandan will pay shillings 15,000 annually. While the effort is noble and will increase access to healthcare services, Akena emphasized, “The system is not working, and we are not coping. More must be done to strengthen health systems.”

Documenting history

Akena also challenged notable people to keep documenting their biographies to help the upcoming generations learn from them. He said if the late Ogwal had left a written book, it would teach many who would wish to learn from her experience.

He described Ogwal as one of the leaders who spoke her mind and challenged everyone in case the matter did not serve the country.

“Much could be learned from such people. It takes a long time for a leader to rise to such a level. Losing Hon. Cecilia Ogwal is a big loss to this nation,” he said. 

Ogwal was laid to rest on Saturday, January 27. 2024.