Uganda’s health ministry has explained how it spent the Shs29.6bn from Covid19 donations. Collected by the National Covid19 Response Donations Fund Committee from individuals, companies, and organizations, the expenditure of Shs29.6bn has remained shrouded in controversy.
But, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH), the National Covid19 Response Donations Committee spent the money, with President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s guidance. MoH’s explanation is that Shs23.9bn was spent on the purchase of 282 double cabin pickups to help in disease surveillance and laboratory follow-up.
“A part of the fleet of the 282 double cabin pickups purchased from the Covid19 response donation funds are in-country. The pickups were purchased at a tune of Shs23.9bn and will be used for surveillance, transportation of laboratory samples, and follow-ups,” explained the ministry.
“This was done because the country lacked vehicles for surveillance and transportation of samples and spent enormously on hiring vehicles which were not sustainable. Delivery of the vehicles has started. To date, 121 vehicles have been delivered and the remaining are in transit.”
The rest of the money will be used for the construction of a Blood Bank at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital (Shs3.3bn) and the construction of Port Health Units at Cyanika and Vurra (Shs2.4bn).
