Lawyer Galandi Calls for National Health Insurance to Cover Accident Victims

What the report says

Lawyer Tony Galandi Kiire is urging Uganda to establish a national health insurance system that would help pay for emergency treatment for road-crash victims and reduce the financial strain on hospitals. In a report published by Nile Post, Galandi said the lack of universal coverage leaves health facilities to absorb costs when injured people arrive without the means to pay, including cases where Good Samaritans rush victims to care after accidents.

He argued that a comprehensive insurance scheme would make emergency treatment more predictable and ensure patients are stabilized without delay. Galandi also pointed to existing legal protections in Uganda’s traffic laws, saying people who stop to help should not be treated as suspects unless there is evidence linking them to the crash. According to the article, he said police should collect only the necessary details from rescuers and then allow them to leave if they were not involved in the accident.

The lawyer’s remarks come amid broader concern that fear of police questioning may discourage bystanders from helping injured people at crash scenes. He said faster intervention can be life-saving, especially when victims need urgent surgery, blood transfusion or other costly care before payment issues are resolved.

Nile Post also noted that Uganda’s emergency medical policy and health-sector planning already refer to insurance-based financing and a future National Health Insurance Scheme. Galandi said such a system would support hospitals while encouraging the public to act quickly in emergencies, with investigations to follow afterward through normal legal channels.