Should the Ugandan government invest in subsidizing private health facilities or try and revive the public healthcare?
Background: Free healthcare is, in theory, available to everyone in Uganda through public healthcare provided by the state. but in practice, the state system, where thousands of doctors’ and nurses’ positions are unfilled, is so run-down that patients are increasingly turning to private facilities. The crisis in the public health sector has led to threats by members of parliament to block next year’s budget unless the government finds an additional 260 billion Uganda shillings (US$103 million) to recruit staff and upgrade dilapidated health centres. Some say that this money could better be invested in overhauling the health sector and start subsidizing private sector healthcare facilities. Dr. Ian Clarke, who chairs the Board of the Uganda Healthcare Federation said: The fact of the matter is, the private sector is a lot more efficient than government
A - Subsidize private healthcare provided by companies
B - Invest in free public healthcare provided by the state
Instructions: Go to messages on your phone, type in SANYU followed by either A or B and send this to 8282 - FREE of charge.
Context -> A: Subsidizing private healthcare will allow companies to take over, they will have to make money and compete for the best and best priced services.
B: Investing in public healthcare will allow for free healthcare as a public good. But brings along problems of low level services.
FACT: Private healthcare providers account for 46 percent of all health facilities in Uganda