By Andrew VM Naimanye
Kole North County Member of Parliament, Samuel Acuti, has called on the Ministry of Finance to work closely with the Ministry of Health to develop financial guidelines that ensure sustainable procurement and maintenance of medical equipment across the country.
While addressing Parliament on Thursday during the debate on a motion to adopt the report on health facility upgrades, Acuti highlighted a critical gap in maintenance funding for medical infrastructure.
“The thumb rule by engineers is that for every value of equipment purchased, 5% must be allocated annually for maintenance,” Acuti said.
“When you look at the Health Committee reports for the last three years, UGX 12 billion has been listed as unfunded priorities for maintenance.”
The Kole North legislator stressed the importance of synchronizing planning and budgeting processes, arguing that the long-term functionality of Uganda’s health equipment hinges on consistent and well-structured maintenance funding.
He urged the Ministry of Finance, in consultation with the Ministry of Health, to establish clear financial guidelines during procurement to avoid the recurring issue of neglected equipment due to lack of maintenance funds.
His remarks come amid growing concerns over the sustainability of recent investments in health facility upgrades, with many MPs citing cases of newly installed medical equipment falling into disuse due to inadequate maintenance provisions.
Parliament is currently reviewing several recommendations aimed at improving healthcare delivery across the country, with particular focus on infrastructure, equipment, and human resources.
