KAMPALA, April 6- Uganda’s Ministry of Health has faced scrutiny over procurement and budget execution lapses, with parliamentary auditors flagging stalled hospital infrastructure projects and incomplete service delivery.
The Auditor General’s report for the financial year ending December 2025 identified significant non-compliance with Section 60(6) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act. In particular, refurbishment of X-ray facilities in 20 hospitals has been delayed due to procurement irregularities, while the ministry failed to develop a multi-year procurement plan for projects worth Shs 3.43 billion.
During a parliamentary review on April 2, the Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government) noted that despite near-full utilisation of its Shs 228.8 billion budget, only 36 of 51 planned outputs were fully executed, representing Shs 148.3 billion.
The remaining 15 outputs, valued at Shs 80.2 billion, were partially implemented, with some projects either incomplete or uninitiated. Auditors highlighted the omissions as a risk to financial accountability and project continuity.
Members of Parliament raised concerns about persistent out-of-pocket payments for critical services, including diagnostic imaging and dialysis, and the underfunding of immunisation programmes. Kassanda County North MP Patrick Nsamba questioned the reliance on Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) from patients to fund essential services, noting that predictable budget allocations could improve equity and reduce patient costs.
Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine acknowledged the funding gaps, citing central control over NTR projections and partial allocations for high-cost services such as dialysis, where government contributions cover only 54 percent of the actual cost.
She highlighted systemic limitations in planning and procurement, including constraints in the Electronic Government Procurement system, and pledged to strengthen monitoring and corrective actions in the 2026/27 financial year.
