Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine has revealed that they have so far received a total of Shs119 billion from government as supplementary to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
While presenting the accountability of the funds received by the ministry since the outbreak of the pandemic, Atwine said the Shs119b that was released has been used as follows;
Shs11.3 billion has been used to procure and distribute Personal Protective Equipment for frontline medical workers
Shs6.3 billion has been used to procure test kits that have been vital in determining the scale of COVID-19 spread in Uganda
Shs4.08 billion was transferred to Regional Hospitals, while
Shs2 billion used to procure blood collection supplies.
Atwine however disclosed that Shs89 billion is still needed to address various issues.
“Another Shs89 billion has been drafted and will soon be tabled before Parliament for approval,” she said.
Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister also refuted claims that the ministry is mismanaging funds by spreading patients all over the country.
“Allegations that we are spreading patients all over the country so that they may look many are false, we are only preparing the whole country,” she said.
Aceng warned that if the population continues to be complacent in the fight against COVID-19, the country risks entering Stage 4 of the spread of the pandemic.
Uganda has a total of 770 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 578 recoveries and no single death.