Following the reading Budget, according to the government’s health sector priorities, in the new financial year, the Ministry of Health will start implementing the Uganda COVID-19 Emergency Response and Preparedness Project supported by a grant from the World Bank amounting to US Dollars 180.3 million (equivalent to Shs667.1 billion). This grant will finance the rapid detection, prevention and quick responses to threats posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. It will also finance the strengthening of national systems for public health preparedness. 

A Health practitioner at work. The government will among others focus on recruiting additional health officers to strengthen Village Health Teams (VHTs)   

The emphasis now is on mass vaccination of all eligible persons and community disease surveillance by strengthening Village Health Teams (VHTs) with training and 25 equipping them with a smartphone and bicycle. Additional Health assistants and surveillance officers will be recruited to support the VHTs. 

A total of Shs3.722 trillion for healthcare delivery in Financial Year 2022/2023

The development of health infrastructure nationwide will continue. The rehabilitation and expansion of the following General Hospitals will be undertaken – Itojo, Kaabong, Abim, Kambuga, Masindi, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Bugiri and Amudat. In addition, forty-three (43) Health Centre IIs will be upgraded to Health Centre IIIs and seventeen (17) new Health Centre IIIs will be built in the sub-counties without health facilities. Seventy-five (75) Staff Houses will be built in the Karamoja region.

Relatedly, the government plans to strengthen health care systems, including regional and national referral hospitals by equipping 143 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and upgrading 255 Health Centre IIs to Health Centre IIIs. The government also plans to recruit of 400 health workers and fund scientific research development, including COVID vaccine development and innovative therapeutics such as COVIDEX.