Lubaga Hospital Roots for National Health Insurance

Uganda Martyrs hospital Lubaga  Executive Director Dr. Julius Luyimbazi has asked the government to revisit and pass the National Health Insurance bill to enable Ugandans access quality affordable health care. 

 “We know that for this country to attain vision 2040, it is imperative that the national health insurance fund is given a legal framework.  It is our prayer that that bill is revisited and presented again so that we can also have a sustainable way of financing health care” said Dr. Luyimbazi.

 According to Dr. Luyimbazi, the biggest barrier to health care is cost. Yet out of pocket financing of health care is not sustainable for the majority of Ugandans.

 “You cannot get quality and divorce it from cost.  And we see it every day with our clients. They want the best but they cannot afford it. The best thing is to have an insurance based financing of health care where the people have a fund where they put their money and they are able to get financing when they fall sick. We pray that the government of Uganda puts forward a legislation that will be able to provide for that” he stated.  

Dr. Luyimbazi made the remarks while unveiling a series of activities lined up ahead of celebrations to mark 125 years of Lubaga hospital, community and faith rooted health care services. He used this moment to remind the government to designate and accredit the hospital’s Organ transplant center which was commissioned in August 2023 to offer organ transplant services.

“As far as we are concerned, we have all the personnel, we have all the equipment, and expertise that we need. All we need is to be guided on how to proceed” he implored.

In response the state minister for Health Anifa Kawooya Bangirana has stated that their request was received, and at the appropriate time when the transplant council is appointed, “I have no doubt that   you’ll pass the set criteria for the request to be granted”.

 About the National Health Insurance bill, the minister revealed that it will soon be tabled and passed to enable Ugandans access health services.

Minister Kawooya said the bill has been reviewed, and will be presented before cabinet and later in parliament to be passed before this year ends.

 “The health Insurance scheme has taken a very long time. But then where we are , we are about to conclude the process. We have gone through all the stakeholders consultation, brought everybody on board, for the community component to be embedded because they are the most people that really this insurance should bring on board” she stated. 

Minister Kawooya said the bill has been reviewed, and will be presented before cabinet and later in parliament to be passed before this year ends.

 “We shall bring it on the floor of parliament for legal legislation. But we have promises that this time it's  going to see its way through and the Ugandans will be happy with that” she averred  .

Currently Uganda still lags behind, as one of the countries in East Africa without a national health insurance, minister Kawooya noted that soon this will be history. 

The Archbishop for Kampala diocese Paul Ssemwogere hailed the existing administrators for a job well done making Lubaga hospital one of the best hospitals in the country.

 “We are ever grateful to those people who work here, and serve and take care of the sick. But again we make another appeal that they continue to do this, the people of Uganda continue to be sick, but we pray that they may find health workers who are available to serve them” Archbishop Semwogerere.

As the hospital kick-starts celebration to mark 125 years, it has been given a nod in the right direction, when it acquired The Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa –COHSAS accreditation.  

It  becomes the second hospital in Uganda to get COHSASA accreditation after IHK hospital for quality health care.

Lubaga hospital was founded on the 18th of October 1899. It is the oldest hospital in East Africa and Uganda.