MUK don calls for national health scheme

Dec 08, 2013

Professor John Jean Barya has called for the formulation of a national health insurance scheme.

By David Lumu

Professor John Jean Barya has called for the formulation of a national health insurance scheme.


The Makerere University law don argues that the national insurance scheme will help Ugandans realize the right to health, a social need that the country needs to spur the transformation that government has invested in a great deal.

In his keynote address at the national conference on the Constitution that was held at Imperial Royale Hotel on Saturday, Barya said that the focus of government should be more on the social and economic rights, which include the right to education, health and work.

“There is a need for the establishment of a national health insurance scheme where all the health of Ugandans is achieved,” he said.

Advising that government should borrow a leaf from the Rwanda national health scheme efficacy, Barya proposed that the Ugandan scheme should be contributory where every citizen is involved.

“In Rwanda the right to health is almost universal. Every household should contribute Sh10, 000 and then government should contribute to the scheme 15% of the national budget,” he said.

On the part of education, Barya commended government for rolling out the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and the Universal Secondary Education (USE).

However, he argued that more effort needs to be injected in this universal education project.

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