Mulago Seeks Shs204bn to Sustain Free Treatment

What the report says

Mulago National Referral Hospital has told Parliament’s Health Committee that it needs an additional Shs204.577 billion to keep offering free treatment to Ugandans and to fill gaps that are reportedly forcing patients to pay for some essential services. The issue came up during a committee visit to the hospital to review health service delivery and investigate complaints that patients are increasingly being billed at the country’s largest public hospital.

According to the report, MPs pressed hospital managers on why patients, despite Mulago being publicly funded, are being asked to pay for care. Legislators cited repeated complaints from constituents, including concerns about charges for treatment, diagnostics and even some services linked to deceased patients before bodies are released. The committee also questioned the affordability of daily intensive care charges.

Mulago Executive Director Dr Rose Byanyima disputed part of the criticism, saying some patients may be misleading MPs about services that are in fact free. She said some diagnostic equipment originally intended for free use had repeatedly broken down because the hospital lacked enough money for maintenance, which led to the introduction of charges to keep the machines working. The committee chair, Dr Julius Rude Monday, directed management to investigate the complaints and provide a detailed breakdown of the funding need.

The debate highlights a wider challenge in public healthcare financing in Uganda: a referral hospital expected to serve patients without financial barriers is saying it cannot do so without additional resources, while lawmakers are asking whether current charges are justified.