Source: Parliament of the Republic of Uganda |

Uganda: Civil society challenges government on health sector funding

The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) is concerned that government continues to neglect crucial areas of the health sector through inadequate resource allocation

We call upon the Ministry of Public Service together with the Health Service Commission to create a position of District Food and Nutrition Officer

KAMPALA, Uganda, January 19, 2022/APO Group/ --

Members of civil society are disappointed with the Budget Framework Paper for financial year 2022/2023 saying it fails to address critical areas in the health sector.

The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) is concerned that government continues to neglect crucial areas of the health sector through inadequate resource allocation.

They also note that the largest proportion of the health sector is heavily reliant on donor funding standing at 41 per cent.

The CSBAG members made these observations while meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Health to discuss the Budget Framework Paper on Wednesday, 19 January 2022.

Mariam Akiror, Action against Hunger Advocacy and Communications Coordinator said the government should put in place adequate staffing of nutritionists, water officers and health inspectors.

She said civil society organisations have identified staffing gaps in the sector citing 12 districts around the country that lack district water officers. They add that the current district human resource structure only provides for recruitment of a nutritionist only at a level of a general hospital.

“We call upon the Ministry of Public Service together with the Health Service Commission to create a position of District Food and Nutrition Officer as part of the local government structure,” Akiror added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.