KAMPALA, May 15, 2024 – The provision of free treatment to foreigners at the Uganda Cancer Institute [UCI] has raised eyebrows among Members of Parliament [MPs] on Public Accounts Committee [Central Government].
Appearing before the committee chaired by Butambala County MP, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi on Tuesday, the ICI Executive Director, Dr. Jackson Orem informed the committee that the health facility provides free treatment to Ugandans and foreigners who make up 20 percent of the patients.
However, this statement irked the legislators who questioned the basis for offering free medical treatment to Non-Ugandans.
Amuria district Woman Representative, Suzan Amero averred that foreigners do not contribute taxes to Uganda and therefore, should not be excluded from paying medical bills at UCI.
Responding the the legislators’ concerns, Dr. Orem clarified that the 20 percent of foreigners receiving free treatment are primarily East Africans for whom there is no established framework for charging medical fees.
However, Amero mentioned the discrepancy, noting that Ugandans do not receive free medical care even within East Africa. She cited an instance where MPs attending the East African Community games in Arusha had to rely on insurance or cash payments for medical services.“Why do you give them [foreigners] free treatment because that money should be the non-tax revenue that should be spent on other things to look after Ugandans, after all the facility is here and managed by Ugandans. Why should it be free for everybody?” said the MP.
She said if the institute wants to provide a subsidy for East Africans, it should be done.
MP Muwanga Kivumbi indicated that they would recommend to the House that free treatment for foreigners at the institute be discontinued and replaced with a fee-based system.
The cancer-treatment facility registers 7400 new patients every year. The Outpatient Department registers 250-300 people daily. Uganda as a country register’s 3500 new cancer patients yearly.
The committee also queried what was termed as dubious spending of Shs 5 billion by the institute.
The Ibanda North MP, Xavier Kyooma said the entity went ahead to spend money without costing. He said that the spending is doubtable since the accounting officer cannot defend the lack of costing.
“The fact that the activities did not have costs attached; how would you go ahead and spend? Because you would spend on an activity basing on the earmarked money,” asked Kyooma.
Located on Mulago hill in Kampala, UCI is a public medical care facility in partnership with the Ministry Of Health. Its main focus is on research, training, consultation, prevention and cancer treatment in areas of pediatrics, oncology, gynecology, radiotherapy, surgery, pharmacy and recently venturing into bone marrow transplants.
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