Watching Your Health: Mapping Transparency and Integrity Risks in Health Service Delivery in Africa: Uganda Country Report

Transparency International Uganda has completed a diagnostic study on effectiveness of governance systems in delivery of health services in Uganda. The reports are scheduled for launch today, Thursday November 24, 2011, at Imperial Royale Hotel. This initiative is part of a larger programme to promote Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in seven other Sub Saharan Africa countries including Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia.

The Uganda case study diagnosed six aspects of governance namely: Transparency, Accountability, Integrity, Public Participation, Corruption, and Institutional performance. It highlights among other the following issues:

1. Corruption at Health Centres and District level is adversely undermining effective delivery of health services to the rural poor who need them most.
2. Absenteeism of Health workers is at 50%
3. Most Health facilities do not have updated medicine stock registers, making it impossible to ascertain accountability for medicines.
4. Shortage of medicines, equipment and personnel make it easier for health workers to get informal payments from desperate patients seeking preferential treatment

In view of the above, Transparency International Uganda makes the following recommendations among others:

a) Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should provide for additional funds to increase staffing levels from the current 56% to at least 75% over the next five years

b) Capacity of governance and leadership structures at the lower local government and health facility level (e.g. Health Unit Management Committees) should be strengthened.

c) The officers in-charge of health facilities should pay as much attention to administration and logistics as they do to clinical work

d) Strengthen financial and medical record keeping through strengthening information management systems at health facility level.

Signed: Robert Lugolobi, Executive Director

Transparency International Uganda
Plot 43 Bukoto Street, Kamwokya, Kampala
Tel. 256 414 255 836