Opendi Grilled Over Delayed Treatment of Ailing Minister Kaduchu

Members of Parliament (MPs), have grilled the State Minister of Health for General Duties, Sarah Opendi on government’s failure to treat the state Minister for Primary Health Care, Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaduchu who is hospitalized at International Hospital Kampala after suffering food poisoning a week ago.

Minister Opendi was Wednesday appearing before the Parliamentary Health Committee to explain to the committee issues pertaining to the Mental Health Bill.

Kalungu West MP Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu put the Minister to task to explain why the government has failed to allocate funds to the treatment of one of their own Minister.

More than Shs 24.5 million is required to fly Joyce to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi for treatment.

In response, Opendi said they have received permission from Aga Khan to fly out the Minister any time from today (Wednesday).

“What was left was for the flying doctors to be contacted to come and fly her to Nairobi. So, I have nothing else to do on this matter” Opendi said.

She also refuted accusations that government had failed to treat he Minister saying that when contacted, particular hospitals in South Africa and Nairobi had said their intensive care units were occupied. She added that Minister Moriku couldn’t be flown to India due to her delicate condition.

“Government has not failed to take her to hospital but we follow procedures. A full Minister cannot be just taken to any other outside country for treatment when there are no preparations made by that country to receive her,” Minister Opendi told the committee.

She said that the delay had nothing to do with the lack of money but rather the fact that “we didn’t have the account of the hospital where to send the money.”