The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has tasked the Chairperson of the Committee on Health to interface with the Uganda Medical Board regarding referrals of Ugandans for treatment abroad.
This follows a statement by the Minister of State for Health (General Duties), Hon. Anifa Kawooya, who informed Parliament that any Ugandan seeking treatment abroad is entitled to facilitation by the Uganda Medical Board, provided they cannot be treated in Uganda.
Hon. Kawooya was responding to a matter of national importance raised by Maracha County MP, Hon. Denis Oguzu Lee, who questioned the criteria followed by the Medical Board when financing Ugandans for treatment abroad.
“What is the criteria Ugandans should follow to access health care? If I want to be flown to India or America and I am from the village, what is the criteria?” he asked during the sitting on Tuesday, 6 August 2024.
In her response, Hon. Kawooya explained that the Medical Board referral for treatment abroad applies to any Ugandan who has a medical condition that cannot be treated within the country.
“There must be a patient, and this patient must have a physician who has been attending to them. If the patient has been referred abroad, the patient has to apply through the Medical Board,” she said.
However, there have been concerns among Ugandans regarding who is entitled to government-funded treatment abroad, as many have been turned down by the board.
The Uganda Medical Board is a regulatory body under the Ministry of Health, tasked with overseeing medical assessments for public officers unable to perform their duties due to medical conditions or disabilities. The Board convenes regularly to evaluate cases and make recommendations for medical retirement.
In 2021, the Government moved to decentralise the Uganda Medical Board’s services to address the overwhelming demand for medical retirement assessments.
Meanwhile, the Nakaseke District Woman Representative, Hon. Sarah Najjuma, decried a syndicate of cheating patients and extortion in hospitals.
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