The lock down has also led to disruptions in education exposing young people to the risk of Gender Based Violence as well as getting unwanted pregnancies. The increment in internet costs has made it worse as this has further affected access to information.

BY ANNEGRACE NAMUGAANYI | In Commemoration of the World Population Day

The United Nations statistics revealed that up to 16 per cent of the world’s population which is equivalent to 1.2 billion people, are adolescents aged 10-19 years. According to a UNICEF report on Adolescent health and well-being, “an estimated 1.2 million adolescents die every year and mostly from preventable causes.”  The World Health Organization reports reveal that many often die prematurely due to several factors such as; homicide, suicide, violence, motor accidents, pregnancy and childbirth related complication, among others.

Statistics from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicate that Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world with the country’s population annual growth estimated at 3.0% (among the highest in the world). At 9 million, adolescent constitute a quarter on the nation’s population, many of which have limited access to quality education as well as health and social services.

In Uganda, access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health information and services, which among others enhance the ability to remain free from unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs) and all forms of sexual violence and coercion is still lacking and this has been worsened with the lock down aimed at curbing the spread of the corona virus. This gives adolescents in Uganda limited choices when it comes to issues relating to quality promotion of healthy sexual behaviors, access to family planning services and information, access to general information on sexual and reproductive health issues, abortion and post-care, condom uses and management of STIs. Whereas the government of Uganda has adopted a number of policies and strategies to address part of the problems faced by young people in the country which among others, include the National Adolescent Policy for Uganda, 2004, School Health Policy for Uganda as well as the Standards and Guidelines for reducing Maternal Mortality from Unsafe Abortions in Uganda (April, 2005), finalization and implementation of these policies is still wanting.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already complex situation. The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda has come with various challenges including difficulty in accessing essential Sexual and Reproductive Health services such as modern contraceptives including condoms due to the of the lock down. The lock down has also led to disruptions in education exposing young people to the risk of Gender Based Violence as well as getting unwanted pregnancies. The increment in internet costs has made it worse as this has further affected access to information.

As a young person, I call upon government to support the well being of my fellow young people by addressing the challenges that have led to higher rates of unmet needs for Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and information. This can be achieved by Government committing to finalizing all the pending policies such as the National School Health Policy, that will enable young people access services and information as well as ensuring that those in existence are implemented.

The writer is an intern at the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development.

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

KAMPALA. The High Court today heard the case of Mulumba Moses & Center for Health Human Rights and
Development (CEHURD) vs Attorney General, The Medical and Dental Practitioners Council, & The Minister of Health. The case, which was filed on June 24th, 2021 challenges the government, and the medical
council for failure to act in response to exorbitant, unjustified, and extortionate fees hospitals are charging for the
management and treatment of COVID-19.

In today’s hearing, the High Court ordered:
1. The Government, Minister of Health and Medical and Dental Practitioners Council to make
regulations on fees chargeable by hospitals managing and treating COVID -19 patients
2. The Medical and Dental Practitioners Council to make recommendations to the Minister of Health on
reasonable fees chargeable by hospitals for treatment and management of persons suffering from
COVID-19.

See details of the Court Order >>> https://bit.ly/3k1YfDk

“Today the court has ruled in favour of the fundamental health rights of patients. It has ordered government and
professional councils to regulate fees for COVID-19 treatment services so that patients are charged fairly. This is
a big win for all Ugandans,” Moses Mulumba, CEHURD Executive Director and an applicant in the case said,
following the court hearing.

Background
On March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organisation declared the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) a global
pandemic. Uganda registered its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 21st, 2020, and the country was put
under lock down shortly thereafter. The lock down was relaxed when the reported number of COVID-19 cases
came down.

In May 2021, the Minister of Health, Dr Ruth Aceng announced that Uganda was reporting a significant increase
in COVID-19 cases, signalling the second wave of COVID-19 infections, with a preponderance likely being the
much more transmissible and aggressive “delta variant” of COVID-19. The Minister warned that the second wave
is usually more aggressive that the first. Ugandan hospitals are currently overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients
requiring intensive management, including Oxygen in order to beat the virus. The few Intensive Care Units in the
country are overwhelmed and stock out of oxygen has become routine.

A survey of media reports in June 2021 revealed that a day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a private hospital
in Kampala will cost a COVID-19 patient between Shs2 million to Shs10 million per day depending on the facility.
A patient with moderate symptoms is likely to pay between Shs1.5 million and Shs5 million daily, depending on
where they go. Treatment typically lasts weeks, resulting in medical costs too exorbitant to bear.
Uganda is currently under 42 days of a strict lock down. As the effects of COVID-19 continue to ravage the
country, more people are going to require treatment and management of the virus. Since there is no regulatory
framework to rein in hospitals, these high changes will continue.

Today’s High Court decision is a remedy for this crisis. We are ready to work with the government, the Medical
council and the Health Minister to ensure that the Court’s orders are implemented urgently and those responsible to heed the High Court orders and regulate the rates charged for the management and treatment of COVID-19. This will give Ugandans a fair chance to access COVID-19 treatment.

For more information, contact Ibrahim Nsereko 0702245536 or email nsereko@cehurd.org and copy
info@cehurd.org

CEHURD invites applications from eligible firms for prequalification to provide a variety of goods and non consultancy services under the categories in the Appendix II of the attached details in the download section , for the period 2021/ 2024.

Applications and accompanying requirements must be submitted by email only.
Deadline for submission of applications: Tuesday 27th July, 2021.

The problem for the 8th Annual CEHURD moot court competition 2021 is out! We wish all the participants the best of luck!

cehurd #JASPROGRAMME

PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 25th, 2021

Regulate the rates hospitals are charging for management and treatment of COVID-19

KAMPALA. Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) and Mr. Mulumba, Moses, a concerned public spirited litigant ,have filed a case against the Government of Uganda, the Minister of Health and the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council for failure to regulate the exorbitant fees for the management and treatment of COVID-19 patients in health facilities.

In this case filed in the High Court, we call upon the Honourable Court to weigh in and compel the respondents (the Minister of Health and the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council   and Attorney General)to intervene and regulate chargeable rates for management and treatment of COVID-19 patients, to save the lives of Ugandans who are undoubtedly continuing to lose lives at the quest for profits by the private actors.

Over the past months, there have been several reports of families and individuals struggling to cover the costs related to treatment and management of COVID-19. The rates charged by the hospitals are clearly exorbitant in nature and largely unbearable to vulnerable Ugandans seeking the COVID 19 treatment in hospitals amidst the pandemic and tough economic times.

We are mindful that the government is  the primary provider for health as a social good. In cases when the government cannot make this provision, then it bares the obligation to regulate the private providers. Since Uganda recorded its first case of COVID-19, the government through the Minister of Health has issued several Statutory Instruments to regulate the national response to the pandemic. We are however surprised that no instrument has been issued to regulate theprivate sector as it supports the national response to COVID-19. This to us, is a huge omission which the government through the Minister of Health must urgently address.

‘It is just unconceivable that the government would fail to ensure a functional public health system and also negate its primary duty of regulating costs charged by the private sector providing health services amidst a pandemic. The government cannot regulate everything else on COVID-19 except treatment costs. We except the Minister of Health to use her powers in the law to protect Ugandans from the unreasonable costs charged by the private sector in the COVID-19 treatment and management. It is just unacceptable that some actors can have this crisis as a profiteering moment’ Mulumba, Moses one of the applicants in the case, and also CEHURD’s Executive Director.

A recent survey of media reports reveals that a day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a private hospital in Kampala will cost a COVID-19 patient between Shs2 million to Shs10 million per day depending on the facility. A patient with moderate symptoms is likely to pay between Shs1.5 million and Shs5 million daily, depending on where they go. Considering that treatment can go on for weeks, the final bill comes down to an amount too exorbitant to bear.

As the effects of COVID-19 continue to ravage the country, more people are going to require treatment and management of the virus .Since there is no regulatory framework to rein in private hospitals these high changes will continue

 The applicants in the case therefore ask Court to compel ;The Attorney General, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council, and Minister of Health Hon. Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero intervene and regulate medical fees chargeable by hospitals in the treatment and management of persons suffering from COVID-19, as is their statutory obligation.

For more information, contact Nakibuuka Noor Musisi 0782 496681 or email nakibuuka@cehurd.org and copy info@cehurd.org