Health Ministry proposed budget cut: Civil Societies lash out at government for not caring about lives of Ugandans

Civil Societies have lashed out at government for proposing to cut the Health Ministry budget in the coming Financial Year 2021/22.

Civil Societies such as Central for reproductive health Uganda, Human rights Awareness and promotion forum, Maama Africa Uganda and Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) noted that this is not the time for the government to cut the Ministry of Health budget when the pandemic is still affecting Ugandans. Their complaint arises from the proposal by the government to cut Shs258m off the Ministry of Health’s budget in the coming Financial Year.

Miria Matembe the chairperson of CCEDU while addressing journalists on Monday in Kampala, said that this is not the right time to reduce on the budget of the Ministry but instead it should be increased. Matembe added that in such times, Uganda needs leadership with a passion to save their people but not leaders who put money in buying weapons that will help them to stick to  power yet people are dying due to poor health services.

“In such a time? With the increasing economic poverty brought by Coronavirus, how can a sane person think of cutting the Ministry of Health budget? If the priority of the government is not people then as a government what is their priority? Every time budget supplements are on security, who are they going to secure if people are dying?” Matembe asked.

Moses Mulumba, the Executive Director for Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHERD) also said that the decision to cut the budget of the Ministry of Health is against the Constitutional Court directives which were given last year in favour of increasing funds to the ministry.