UMA Demands Supplementary Health Budget to Address Mounting Challenges

The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has urged the Ministry of Health to urgently present a supplementary budget to Parliament, warning that the country’s healthcare system is at risk due to severe funding shortfalls.

This call comes amid a drastic reduction in health sector funding, including the loss of salary support for health workers previously funded by USAID and an ongoing crisis in HIV and TB care.

UMA President Dr. Herbert Luswata said the funding gap is severely affecting health professionals who have been at the forefront of the country’s pandemic response efforts.

“These include health workers who treated Ebola patients at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, many of whom have yet to receive their outstanding payments,” Dr. Luswata stated.

The financial strain has reached critical levels, with delayed payments adding to the burden on health workers, especially those managing the current outbreak of infectious diseases.

UMA is calling for immediate provisions to ensure that all health workers combating the latest disease outbreaks receive timely payments.

“Our doctors, nurses, and support staff cannot continue to offer care under the cloud of financial uncertainty,” Dr. Luswata emphasized.

The association warns that without urgent intervention, essential HIV and TB care services could collapse due to funding shortages, putting the most vulnerable Ugandans at risk.

With a worsening resource crisis, UMA is calling on Parliament and the Ministry of Health to act swiftly, warning that failure to address these funding gaps could cripple healthcare delivery across the country.

As Uganda grapples with multiple public health challenges, UMA insists that securing sustainable funding for health worker salaries and medical services must be a top priority.