Budget: Sh7,700 for every Ugandan for medicine

Jun 18, 2018

“The sh276b allocation to NMS means that sh7, 722 is available for medicine per person."

BUDGET | HEALTH

KAMPALA - Government has set aside sh7,700 to buy medicine for every citizen, Dr. Sarah Byakika, the commissioner for planning at the health ministry, has said.

Byakika, who was discussing the health sector budget on Monday at the health ministry headquarters, said out of the sh2.3 trillion health budget, sh276b has been allocated to the National Medical Stores (NMS).

"The sh276b allocation to NMS means that sh7, 722 is available for medicine per person. This is very little. Therefore, we don't expect everyone to get sick. The medicine is for those who will fall sick," she said.

Going by the total allocation to the health sector in the 2018/2019 national budget, Byakika says the situation is way below the required amount that government should spend on every citizen.

At sh2.3 trillion, the health budget represents 7.4% of the total sh32.7 trillion national budget, almost half of what the Abuja declaration (15%) mandates every government must inject into health.

Byakika said the 7.4% allocation to the health sector means that every Ugandan, using the population index of 38 million, will get sh58, 786, a figure that is below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation.

WHO recommends $84 (about sh323, 115) health budgetary allocation per person.

In the 2017/2018 financial year, government allocated sh1.8 trillion to the health sector, representing 6.4%.

With the current sh7.4% allocation, ministry of health officials are optimistic that in subsquent budgets, government will meet the 15% Abuja declaration.

 

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