The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, has said that the distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies has commenced and will be fast-tracked to ensure national coverage.
She gave the update during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 02 February 2023.
“There were some logistical challenges which have been noted and are going to be addressed,” Nabbanja said.
The Prime Minister also observed the need to harmonise operations between the Ministry of Finance and National Medical Stores (NMS) that fall under the Ministry of Health.
“I have constituted an inter-ministerial Committee chaired by the Government Chief Whip comprising of the Ministries of Finance, Health, NMS and National Planning Authority. They will look into these issues in detail and report back within a week,” Nabbanja added.
While chairing the sitting, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, tasked the Prime Minister to give a statement to the House on the progress of the disbursement of medicines and medical supplies, within two weeks.
During the House sitting on Wednesday, 01 February 2023, the Minister for Health, Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng faulted the Ministry of Finance for failure to honour payments to facilitate the timely delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies.
She also cited the failure by NMS to access funds from development partners, noting that the finance ministry insisted that the funds are first deposited in the Consolidated Fund.
The State Minister for Finance, Hon. Henry Musasizi, however, noted that the National Medical Stores, ‘…does not want to belong to the IFMS’.
Musasizi advised NMS to make use of the prepayments and advances functionality on IFMS that can promptly process payments for suppliers and other payments.