Uganda fails to meet health targets
Sep 21, 2009
UGANDA and other sub-Saharan African countries, except Malawi, have not yet reached the agreed target of devoting at least 15% of their national budgets to health, the health minister has said.
By Joyce Namutebi
UGANDA and other sub-Saharan African countries, except Malawi, have not yet reached the agreed target of devoting at least 15% of their national budgets to health, the health minister has said.
Steven Mallinga appealed to Parliament to increase the health budget to 15% to enable the ministry meet its obligations.
His appeal was backed by Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the regional director of Partners in Population and Development Africa Region Office (PPD ARO).
Mallinga and Musinguzi told the regional meeting of parliamentary committees on Health in Eastern and Southern Africa at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo yesterday that African leaders must fulfil their commitments.
“Our Heads of State and health ministers in the Abuja Declaration in 2001 pledged to devote at least 15% of the national budgets to health, a pledge, which has remained a major challenge,†Musinguzi noted.
“Our countries have good and clear policy frameworks, but the overriding problem is lack of political will and commitment to support the implementation of these good policies.â€
Musinguzi explained that Uganda was allocating only 10% to health, Kenya 9% and Tanzania 11%.
UGANDA and other sub-Saharan African countries, except Malawi, have not yet reached the agreed target of devoting at least 15% of their national budgets to health, the health minister has said.
Steven Mallinga appealed to Parliament to increase the health budget to 15% to enable the ministry meet its obligations.
His appeal was backed by Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the regional director of Partners in Population and Development Africa Region Office (PPD ARO).
Mallinga and Musinguzi told the regional meeting of parliamentary committees on Health in Eastern and Southern Africa at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo yesterday that African leaders must fulfil their commitments.
“Our Heads of State and health ministers in the Abuja Declaration in 2001 pledged to devote at least 15% of the national budgets to health, a pledge, which has remained a major challenge,†Musinguzi noted.
“Our countries have good and clear policy frameworks, but the overriding problem is lack of political will and commitment to support the implementation of these good policies.â€
Musinguzi explained that Uganda was allocating only 10% to health, Kenya 9% and Tanzania 11%.