Don’t Take People’s Lives as A Joke, CEHURD Files a Case Against Govt, For Exorbitant Charges on COVID Treatment
By Guest Writer: Kyeyune Ali
The Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) a Civil Society that fights for social justice in health have filed a case in high Court against the government of Uganda,Ministry of Health and Medical and Dental practitioners Council for failure to regulate the exorbitant fees for the management and treatment of Covid 19 patients in health facilities.
They say over the past months there have been several reports of families and individuals struggling to cover the costs saying the rates charged by hospitals are exorbitant largely unbearable to vulnerable Ugandans seeking the Covid-19 treatment in hospitals amidst the pandemic and tough economic times.
They now want court to weigh in and compel the respondents to intervene and regulate chargeable rates for management and treatment of Covid-19 patients to save lives of Ugandans who are continuing to lose lives at the quest for profits by the private actors.
They said this while briefing media at Fairway hotel in Kampala on Friday, morning.
“It’s just unconceivable that the government would fail to ensure a functional public health system and also negate it’s primary duty of regulating costs charged by the private sector providing health services amidst a pandemic.” Moses Mulumba said before adding.
“The government cannot regulate everything else on COVID-19 except treatment costs. We expect the Minister of health to use her Powers in the law to protect Ugandans from the unreasonable costs charged by the private sector on the COVID-19 treatment and management. it is just unacceptable that some actors can have this crisis as a profiteering moment.” Mulumba complained.
The reports indicate 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 shs 10 million per day depending on where they go.
Esther Dhafa, CEHURD lawyer said that if the government doesn’t intervene, these charges will continue that’s why they chose to go to court to help the Ugandans.
“As the effect of COVID-19 still on, the people will continue to seek for treatment from the same hospitals, and since their is no regulatory flame work to ruin private hospitals, these high charges will continue, the applicants in the case therefore ask court to compel the Attorney general, the medical and dental practioners Council and Minister of Health, Hon. .Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, to intervene and regulate medical fees chargeable by Hospitals in the treatment and management of patients suffering from COVID-19 as it’s there statutory obligation and duty. ” Esther Dhafa.
When they met with Edith Nakalema who is in charge of fighting corruption from the president’s office, the private hospital owners said that they also don’t want to increase the prices to that magnitude but the costs of medicine, equipment, labor for treating COVID are also very high.