MPs warn Ministry of Finance on health budget

By Joyce Namutebi        
                
Members of Parliament have vowed to impose sanctions against the Ministry of Finance if it does not release by Tuesday additional Sh6.5b to Ministry of Health for recruitment of health workers as agreed recently.

The warning was made by the committee on health after finance state minister (general duties) Fred Omach told members during a meeting at Parliament Building yesterday (Nov 22) that his ministry had taken long to grant the additional funds due to constraints they face in their cash flows.

 “We are strongly communicating to finance that we are disappointed. You appear to be callous to the people of Uganda. This money must be released without further delay. On Tuesday, if you do not release the money we shall invoke the constitution to impose sanctions against you,” committee chairperson, Dr. Sam Lyomoki warned.

Present in the meeting was the Minister of Health, Dr. Christine Ondoa and the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Ruth Achieng. The ministers had been invited to give update to the committee on the release of the Sh6.5b and the recruitment progress.

Lyomoki said he was going to bring the matter to the attention of the Speaker of Parliament for debate on Tuesday. He noted that the Ministry of Health had done its best to fulfill what was required of it, but that the Ministry of finance was sabotaging the release of funds.

He adjourned the meeting to Tuesday and told Omach to come with evidence of release of funds to the Ministry of Health.

In September, Government committed itself to giving the Ministry of Health additional Sh49.54b ending a protracted debate between Parliament and the Government over the matter. The money was to be cut from 23 ministries and government bodies.

“…..We have managed to struggle and get sufficient funds to embark on the recruitment of a total of 6,172 health personnel at health Centre 111s and 1V. Accordingly we have managed to identify additional Sh6.5b as seed money to enable the Ministry of Health to start on this endeavor,” the Prime Minister and Leader of Government business in Parliament, Amama Mbabazi Mbabazi had announced in a statement to the House.

He told MPs that the balance of Sh43b would be provided by the ministry of finance through a supplementary after the Ministry of Health submits a well-costed and sequenced work plan.

Personnel to be recruited are senior medical officers, medical officers, senior clinical officers, clinical officers, anaesthetic assistants, enrolled nurses, enrolled midwives, laboratory technicians and assistants, nursing officers and midwives.

Yesterday, Omach told MPs that his Ministry had received work plans from the Ministry of Health on the Sh6.5b on October 2012 and were now with the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to Treasury.

On the remaining Sh43b, he stated that his ministry awaits a breakdown on how the money is going to be allocated to local governments.

Minister Ondoa told MPs yesterday that her ministry working closely with district local governments reviewed and updated the recruitment work plans for 2012/2013. She said the total number of health workers to be recruitment for all districts and municipalities at Health Centre111 and 1V is 10,231.