Betty Nambooze the Mukono Municipality MP.

The implementation of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2016 hangs in balance again following claims by the Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakirekke, that the minister of health, Ruth Aceng, is avoiding discussions with the legislator on the way forward.

The Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2016 was tabled last year in Parliament as a private members’ bill fronted by Nambooze who has also claimed that she has been denied leave by Parliament and who instead sent the promoters of the bill to first make consultations that they say will harmonize issues which could face resistance during mentions on the house’s floor.

Nambooze however, says Health Minister, Aceng is unwilling to meet them and make adjustments where necessary.

While speaking to journalists recently at parliament, Nambooze told the media that her bill has much support from the public especially religious institutions and local council authorities but that it’s now being frustrated by the ministers of health and trade.

She also alleged that the minister of trade, Amelia Kyambadde, wants to snatch the bill from the ministry of health so that it’s frustrated in favor of the alcohol manufacturers and sellers.

Nambooze revealed that when parliament resumes, they will plead to the house to grant her leave (permission) and move to another stage of justifying why this bill is needed to be passed in law to regulate the alcohol use.

Jane Ruth Aceng the minister of health

The bill provides regulations to among other issues restrict the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 and will be an offense for a person to purchase an alcoholic drink for another person if he or she knows or has reason to believe is below 18 years of age or to allow an underage person to access premises where alcoholic beverages are stored, sold or consumed.

It proposes a punishment to offenders of 10 years in prison or 20 million shillings.

The post Health minister frustrating Alcohol Control Bill 2016, says Nambooze first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

Members of parliament on the parliamentary committee of national economy expressed their displeasure last week to the minister of health, Jane Aceng, over what they said is a worsening provision of health materials and nursing care in most government hospitals across the country.

The committee chaired by the MP for Nakaseke North, Syda Bumba, was querying reasons outlined by Aceng, for members to approve a proposal by government to secure a loan worth USD110 million to support the reproductive, maternal and child health services in the country.

The MPs wondered why loans are secured for health sector but that there are no drugs in most health facilities across the country. Legislators why there is still only one doctor supposed to cater for many patients moreover on very low pay an issue that causes patients to lose hope in some hospital because they have poor service delivery.

MPs who included: Mbale Municipality MP, Jack Wamai Wamanga,Mukono South MP, Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga ,Soroti Municipality MP,Herbert Ariko, Gomba West MP, Kalule Ssengo and Kioga County MP,Anthony Okello, said that because of the government is  neglecting the provision of hospitals materials the burden is put on members of parliament .

Committee that is Chaired by the Nakaseke North MP, Syda Bumba.

MPs said that it has instead become their role to equip hospitals with beds and mattresses in order for them to reduce on the number of patients sleeping on floor while they are admitted in government health units.

“It is painful as a member of parliament to pay for these hospital materials when the people we represents pay taxes to government. Where does all this money go for government not to be able to deliver proper health services to its people,” wondered, Jack Wamanga Wamayi, the Mbale Municipality MP.

Herbert Ariko, the Soroti MP on the other hand wants the ministry to be in charge of managing the children births in health centres by giving hospitals children wards with beds to avoid the existing situation where 7 children are put on one bed after mother delivering.

“You visit a hospital and see a whole bed is crowded by mothers looking after their children before being discharged. As a ministry you need to find a way of providing beds for new born babies to avoid overcrowding that is currently experienced in many hospitals especially upcountry,” said Ariko.

Kioga County MP, Anthony Okello, also said priority for the ministry of health should focus on providing beds in the health centers in his area and that he is willing to cater for supply of mattresses.

Aceng, however, assured the legislators that once they approve the new loan from the World Bank, there will soon see improvements on health Centre III and IV to improve on maternal and child health services.

She said the ministry will put the money in good use putting into consideration all their concerns.

The post MPs decry the poor state of hospitals across the country as government seeks approval of USD 110million first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

In the year 2013-2014, government earmarked 23 billion to fight hepatitis B in areas with prevalence beyond 23% and currently so far 14 districts have finished all the three required doses.

Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng.

Now speaking to media on Thursday, the Minister of Health, Dr Ruth Aceng, said that the most affected districts are in the North and Western Uganda, with prevalence as high as 23%, while in South and Central is still at minimum 6%.

She explained that the 25 districts including Zombo, Moyo, Gulu and Nebbi have started receiving the first dose, and several government health facilities have been prepared to offer services including screening, vaccination, supply of drugs and other relevant services.

A vaccination campaign in Adjumani district, Uganda.

Under the National Hepatist B program 220 billion were gazetted for this purpose, but only 23 have been received under this phased manner.

The post Health Ministry in Second phase Hepatitis B vaccination. first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The policy comes into force following a demonstration by intern doctors over government’s new proposal to reduce their numbers and scrap the payment of those who studied on private sponsorship.

Minister of health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng.

Appearing before the committee chaired by Bukuya constituency MP, Dr. Michael Bukenya, Minister of health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said her ministry wants  new policy implemented so as to ensure quality standards in the medical profession.

But some MPs on the committee including; Gaffa Mbwatekamwa of Kasambya and Joy Atim Ongom of Lira district insist that because the graduands were not notified about it earlier, they did not prepare for that examination.

They instead want the examination to be given to those who will come after this year’s lot, expressing fears that much as the policy is good, to implement it this particular year is unfair to the intern doctors who are due for a full year practice in hospitals.

The minister vowed that the policy will have to be implemented this September before deployment of the intern doctors in October this year adding that they have challenges in training interns and at the end of the day they are just passed forgetting that they are fully in charge of our health.

The post Health ministry yet to agree with MPs on pre-internship exams first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The post Uganda Government seeks for funds to carry out house to house HIV testing first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.