KAMPALA – Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja revealed on Thursday that distribution of essential medicines and supplies had commenced and would be fast-tracked to ensure national coverage.
She gave the update during the plenary sitting on Thursday after Health Minister, Jane Ruth Aceng had a day earlier briefed the House how health facilities were lacking drugs.
“There were some logistical challenges, which have been noted and are going to be addressed,” noted Nabbanja.
The Prime Minister also observed the need to harmonise operations between the Ministry of Finance and National Medical Stores –NMS that falls under the Ministry of Health.
“I have constituted an inter-ministerial Committee chaired by the Government Chief Whip comprising of the Ministries of Finance, Health, NMS and National Planning Authority. They will look into these issues in detail and report back within a week,” added Nabbanja.
While chairing the sitting, the deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa tasked the Prime Minister to give a statement to the House on the progress of disbursement of medicines and medical supplies, within two weeks.
During the House sitting on Wednesday- the Minister for Health, Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng faulted Ministry of Finance for failure to honour payments to facilitate timely delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies.
She also cited failure by NMS to access funds from development partners, noting that the finance ministry insisted that the funds are first deposited in the Consolidated Fund.
The State Minister for Finance, Hon. Henry Musasizi, however, noted that the National Medical Stores, ‘…does not want to belong to the IFMS.’
Musasizi advised NMS to make use of the prepayments and advances functionality on IFMS that can promptly process payments for suppliers and other payments.
