Private hospitals to be penalized for exorbitant Covid-19 treatment charges

By Moses Ndhaye

The ministry of health has spoken out on the exorbitant fees charged by private health facilities for treatment of Covid-19 patients.

Private health facilities in Kampala have defended the high charges, attributing them to the increasing costs of medicines, payment of specialists and purchasing oxygen, among other factors.

According to Dr. Edrin Jjuuko, the head of medical services at UMC Victoria hospital, that charges for managing a covid-19 patient at the hospital are indeed high, varying from 500,000 per day to 3.5m.

Dr Samuel Opio, the secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda also confirmed that a one week dose of Covid-19 medicine costs around Shs2.5m, which comes to Shs357,000 per day for the medicine which is imported.

However, the director health services at the ministry of health Dr. Joseph Okware, says although this is a liberalized economy there are parameters that health practitioners must follow in setting such charges.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna