Speaker Among tasks Minister to explain delayed re-tabling of National Health Insurance bill

By Francis Lubega

22^nd June 2023

The Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has tasked the Government to urgently explain the delay in re-tabling of the National Health Insurance Bill.

In March 2021, Parliament passed the Bill but later it was returned to Parliament after which the Government took it over, promising to retable it for reconsideration after some amendments.

However, on Thursday during the parliamentary plenary, Speaker Among was furious with the Ministry of Health for delaying to retable the Bill as promised yet Ugandans urgently need it.

This follows Thursday’s petition by a group of professional doctors to the Speaker of Parliament raising concern and need for passing of a National Health Insurance law to enable all Ugandans access quality healthcare.

In April this year, Uganda’s Minister for Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng announced that the ministry was in the final stages of working on the country’s health insurance bill that is soon to be presented in the cabinet and then parliament.

Meanwhile, Parliament has also summoned the Minister of Health who was absent in Wednesday’s sitting to give a detailed report on the cause of blood shortage in the country and what is the government planning to address the challenge.

END