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.

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The loan will see an express high way from Uganda/Kigali Busega-Mpigi and Kagitumba-Kayonza-Rusumu roads being constructed to ease on the traffic flow in the city.

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

Committee Chair, Syda Bumba, says after going through the merits and demerits of the loan, the committee members finally accepted to pass the loan so that the project can kick off.

She said the money for compensation will be footed by the Government of Uganda as a co- funder.

Bumba also said unlike other roads, this one will be particularly designed as a toll road where road users will pay for using it at a cost of 70 shillings per kilometer and that the money would then be used  used for maintenance.

She said the road is not costly because it has been compared with other Countries like Kenya, Ethopia which are within the same range.

East African Development Bank building in Kampala.

The Head Design Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Patrick Muleme , the importance of toll road saying the road will be maintained for over 20 years because it will be generating its own money from the road users.

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Nakaseke North County MP, Syda Bumba.

Appearing before the National Economy and Natural Resources Committee of Parliament Chaired by Nakaseke North County MP, Syda Bumba, the State Minister of Works Aggrey Bagiire, expressed concern over the matter saying it needs the urgency it deserves to ensure that the expansion of this route to a four carriage takes place and saves time people spend on the current route and speed up trade.

Bagiire explains that if this loan is approved, it will facilitate the construction of a completely new road from Busega-Mpigi and that the other part of this money will as well be used to reconstruct the Nansana- Namungona junction to save on congestion in this place and all this is expected to be finished in 2 and half years.

The MP for Mukono South, Johnson Muyanja Senyonga who had also expressed concern over the delay, said that the road construction projects that delay despite government’s provision of all resources in the end affects
service delivery and development at large.
However, Bumba raised an alarm pointing at contractors whom she said have continued to deny locals in the area of road construction casaul work saying that many instead import or get labourers from different places which is unfair to the local people.

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