Sh34bn aid to Uganda still frozen over doctors export

Belgian Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Pensions Alexander De Croo (Open Vld Flemish liberals) talks to the press after a restricted ministers meeting on the budget 2013. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has said his country’s €uro 11 million aid to Uganda remains frozen as a sign of discontent. PHOTO | NMG 

In Summary

• Attempts to reach Dr Tumwesigye to clarify on the matter were futile by press time as his known numbers remained switched off.

Kampala. Belgium deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has said his country’s €uro 11 million (about sh34 billion) aid to Uganda remains frozen as a sign of discontent over government adamancy to export at least 263 medical specialists, 90 per cent from public hospitals, to the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago.

Belgium first announced the aid cut to Uganda mid last month. But newly appointed minister of Health Elioda Tumwesigye, while appearing before the committee of health in Parliament early this month, reportedly told MPs that Belgium had made a U-turn. He also told MPs that his ministry had halted the exportation of the medics to Trinidad, a country of 1.3 million people, in light of Uganda’s ailing health system.

“We are investing to strengthen the Ugandan healthcare system, not to weaken it,” Mr De Croo said during a meeting with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Sam Kuteesa and Uganda’s Finance minister Matia Kasaija in Washington, at the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank last Friday.

“The aim is that the health staff should gain experience in Uganda, not abroad,” Mr De Croo noted “We discussed the modalities to lift the suspension, but at this stage, the €uro 11 million remain frozen,” he added. “Sending the Ugandan health professionals abroad represents a considerable weakening of the health system.”

Attempts to reach Dr Tumwesigye to clarify on the matter were futile by press time as his known numbers remained switched off.

The government, however, continues to stand by its decision, which it says is aimed at accelerating “bilateral relations” between the two countries. Foreign Affairs officials said the matter is now being handled by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, which deals with externalisation of labour.

Gender minister Kamanda Bataringaya told Sunday Monitor that an inter-ministerial committee of permanent secretaries-of Gender, Health and Foreign Affairs, following the recent backlash from different stakeholders, are working on a Cabinet paper to make the deal formal. The fast-tracking of the deal follows an April 10 High Court ruling in which Justice Elizabeth Musoke declined to issue a temporary injunction restraining government from its medics. A local think tank, the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) wanted to block the deal pending hearing of the main suite, arguing that it is a violation of fundamental human rights of access to basic medical services, health and life as guaranteed under the constitution. (NMG