KAMPALA — Unknown people have dropped caskets on Clement Hill Road leading to Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital — a component of Mulago National Referral Hospital with demands to have Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine resign as soon as possible.
“Tukooye” meaning we are tired [of you] “Atwine’s reappointment must be cancelled,” reads one of the placards.
Dr. Atwine who has lately become a punch-for-all boxing bag over alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 funds has been was recently as PS for the ministry of Health in a reshuffle announced by President Museveni.
Several Ugandans complain of a lack of transparency on the use of funds as well as, in some cases, seemingly inflated prices and Dr Atwine is among those accused and recommended for prosecution.
Recent findings by government’s own Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) revealed that 74% of Ugandans believe the Covid-19 funds and relief aid will not reach them because it will be stolen by ‘powerful people’ popularly christened as the ‘mafia’.
Also, 3/4 (three quarters) of the Ugandans do not trust government’s ability to effectively handle the Covid-19 funds while the overwhelming majority, 81 per cent actually believe the low quality of health care in the country is simply a result of corruption.
The Ubos survey supported by the World Bank also found that three-quarters of the Ugandans do not trust that government’s distribution channels for Covid-19 relief will to get to them.
The people surveyed expressed fear that money for Covid-19 response will be stolen anyway and would never get to the intended beneficiaries.