Ministry of health suspends grants to private for profit facilities

PIC: Minister for Health, Jane Ruth Aceng. Photo/Godiver Asege

A total of 196 private health centers have been affected by the ministry of health's decision to suspend the release of grants over non eligibility.

Through a press release from the ministry, Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister of health says that for the last 15 years, the government has been supporting private-for-profit and private-not-for-profit health facilities with Primary Health Care Non-wage and Development grants.

"The support is intended to cover health service delivery gaps in areas where public health facilities are lacking or the level of the existing facility is not effectively providing health care services to the communities," says Aceng.

However, it has been established that some health facilities do not meet the eligibility criteria as per the provisions of the Primary Health Care Grant Guidelines, yet Government has been remitting 2.1billion shs annually to these facilities.

It is against this background that the Ministry of Health has suspended the release of 1st quarter FY 2016/17 Primary Health Care NGO grants to these facilities.

"The suspension will be lifted for only those facilities that meet the criteria after verification and the funds due to them will be remitted accordingly," says Aceng.

12 criteria for eligibility were highlighted in the press release:

1.            The health facility should be registered and certified as not-for-profit by the NGO Board.

2.            The health facility should be accredited by a recognized national body or council and approved by Director General of Health Services.

3.            It should be strategically located in an area serving rural, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach populations or being the only service provider in the area

4.            Must be supervised and audited by public governance bodies (LGs, MOLG, MOH, MOFPED, and OAG). This agreement is documented in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of Health and/or LG and signed by both parties.

5.            Should show evidence of participation in community health activities and subsidizing health care services.

6.            Should sign an MOU with the LG, MOH and the respective NGO umbrella body.

7.            Must have evidence that it is delivering the Uganda National Minimum Healthcare Package and is reporting using the HMIS tools to the Local Governments and Ministry of health.

8.            Should share input and output data with LGs and MOH, including financial data

9.            Should stick to PNFP implementation guidelines developed by Ministry of Health

10.          The Private not for profit facility must be licensed by the respective statutory/regulatory professional councils

11.          Must show evidence of involvement of communities in the governance processes and structures of the health facility e.g. Health Unit Management Committee Membership.

12.          Must have reported utilization data (to MOH) for at least two years.