By Damba Rogers
Health activists have dragged government and the medical and dental practitioner’s council to court for failure to reign in on the high charges pressed on covid19 patients by private health facilities.
Speaking to the media today in Kampala, the lead petitioner Moses Mulumba who doubles as the executive director Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) says that the public health act and the medical and dental practitioners act empower the minister to always regulate fees charged by the health players.
He further notes that whoever invests in the health sector must bear the responsibility to treat and save lives than fronting the financial principle.
Ugandan suffering from covid19 is meant to pay a minimum of UGX.1.5 million per day with others asking for a minimum of UGX five million a thing health rights activists say has scared away people from accessing treatment from health facilities hence staying home which has seen the faster spread of the pandemic.
Still, a few who have managed to clear or pay for treatment have either sold property or drained their accounts which have left many languishing in poverty.
In another development, Mulumba is asking the government to consider conducting free covid19 testing for all passengers entering the country to prevent the country from registering new and deadly variants.
Uganda charges USD.65 per test per person charges activists say are still very high since the prices for test kits have lowered on the global market. This has compelled many countries to conduct free covid19 testing for passengers entering their countries.
