National Budget allocation for the health sector is a plus for health sector CSOs

Last year, we saw a swarm of health sector civil society organizations working busy like bees to ensure that government increases budget allocation for the health sector. On 8th June 2016, the famous bible scripture (   "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you) worked out. As a health advocate i commend the government of Uganda for listening to the public out cry for better health services and gave us some more.

The health sector budget has this year been increased from 1.227trillion (FY 2015/16) to 1.828 trillion (FY 2016/17) giving a nominal increase of 607.55 billion shillings (approximately 50% increase). The 50% increment to the health sector budget is a commendable step towards availability of health services to the citizens of this country. Major increments have been reflected in Ministry of Health vote (505.56bn), Uganda cancer Institute (25.67bn) and National Medical Stores (10bn) to offset currency depreciation in drug procurement, district primary health care (30.86bn), and regional referral hospitals (19.86bn), and Mulago Complex(7.04bn). The 10bn additional allocation to National Medical Stores to offset currency depreciation in drug procurement means that the net allocation for drugs procurement is 00 billion Uganda shillings this financial year.

While reading the budget, the Minister of Finance noted that, " in the next financial year, focus will be placed on accelerating interventions to improve availability of healthcare workers at health centers, enhancing maternal, new born and child health in order too reduce the high number of deaths. Government will also continue to prioritize implementation of the National Prevention Strategy of HIV/AIDS and also expand Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) coverage to 80%, with an emphasis on testing and treatment of the 'most at risk' population, and elimination of Mother to child Transmission".

We need to supporting people living with HIV to embrace modern family planning methods. Some of the beneficiaries of National insurance system are the people living with HIV for example, most health insurance companies apart from Jubilee Insurance Company do not cover for HIV testing. We are also talked about the implementation of the AIDS Trust Fund and how it will help in funding for HIV related services.