Dear all, for the last two weeks MoH has been defending their budget and CSOs have been lobbying for increase of health worker salaries among other issues. Many MPs from other regions are with CSOs in the struggle but I have not heard any of our West Nile MPs, where are they? Do they mean issues of Health are non-issues to them? Today the CSOs will be in parliament for the last hearing and they are continuing with the struggle, I hope that our MPs will join this noble cause. With poor work condtions of health workers and poor salaries, we can not expect quality of health care services to improve, this should be the beggining point.
Christine *Malaria, HIV/Aids money Diverted to workshops, allowances* **** SHARE<http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html> <http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html> BOOKMARK<http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html> PRINT<http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/view/printVersion/-/n3946vz/-/index.html> EMAIL<http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html>RATING **** http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html **** *By MERCY NALUGO (email the author<http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228218/-/bjsrnkz/-/index.html> ) Posted Wednesday, August 31 2011 at 10:05*** Share This Story**** *Share*<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.monitor.co.ug%2FNews%2FNational%2F-%2F688334%2F1228218%2F-%2Fbjsrnkz%2F-%2Findex.html&t=Daily%20Monitor%3A%20%C2%A0-%20National%C2%A0%7CMalaria%2C%20HIV%2FAids%20money%20Diverted%20to%20workshops%2C%20allowances&src=sp> **** MPs have blocked the diversion of over Shs 4.1billion Global Fund budget meant for treatment of malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/Aids to allowances, seminars and workshops saying these are non- priority areas.**** The ministry of health officials coordinating the Global Fund and the Gavi funds led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Asuman Lukwago while appearing before the MPs on the Social Services committee on Monday presented budget allocations where much of the money was being spent on seminars and per-diem for the ministry of health officials.**** “We are saying that the money under Global Fund should be put to proper use but much of it has been allocated to seminars, workshops, allowances and motor-vehicle repair. The biggest percentage has been diverted and this we shall not allow,” said Dr Sam Lyomoki, the committee chairperson.**** He added: “They are putting the money in less critical areas and we have this time put down our feet. We cannot allow such money to be misused,”. In the ministerial statement according to the allocations by the Health ministry, Shs 328 million went to consultancy fees while Shs 18.572 million was for professional fees. Also Shs 1.1billion was allocated to cater for salaries of contract staff as Shs 57 million went for per diem.Shs 477 million was allocated to workshops and 738 million for per diem while advertising costs at 262 million. Also Shs 36 million was budgeted for air ticket round trips and Shs 277million in fuel.**** The ministry officials however explained that their hands are tied as donors do not want their money to be re-allocated. Gavi funds were suspended in 2006 after billions were abused. Three health ministers were suspended to pave way for investigations into the abuse and are facing charges of mismanagement of the fund.**** The MPs were concerned that money was not being spent on the right priorities, and they wanted clear **info**rmation about how these funds could be reprogrammed to save lives and to match the real priorities.**** “Although we are forced to approve some budgets but we shall not accept to be used as rubberstamps. Workers in the ministry of Health are earning a salary on top of huge allowances from the Global Fund and to us this is double payment,” he said.**** Mbarara Municipality MP, Dr Medard Bitekyerezo demanded to know why the money was being put to useless purchases while the people out there are dying. The woman MP for Oyam Betty Amongi wondered why money was being put to purchase of vehicles yet health facilities are lacking midwives.**** In the proposal, the officials were also seeking Shs 11billion from the Gavi funds project for Village Health Teams (VHTs) activities. Amongi insisted that rather than focusing on non-professional community health workers only, the country needs nurses and midwives.**** “Village Health teams are important, but if a VHT is bringing a mother to deliver where there is no midwife, the mother could still die, and the VHT cannot prevent that. There is a limit to the usefulness of VHTs when a country is suffering a catastrophic shortage of professional health workers to save the lives of mothers who are delivering,” said Ms Amongi.**** *[email protected]***** ** **
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