Governance and Service Delivery in Uganda: Cases, Issues and Challenges of the Health Sector

Abstract

Health is an indicator of national development and a healthy human Resource is essential in accelerating national development of any given country. Uganda’s health sector over years has recorded a number of governance scandals notably corruption, negligence of patients, drug stock outs, absenteeism of health workers, poor customer care and limited and laxity in responding to epidemics and disease outbreaks among others .This has accelerated morbidity and mortality rates in the country. The purpose of the research was to determine the influence of governance on the quality of health service delivery in Uganda. The researchers used longitudinal survey design and undertook content analysis on health issues through National newspaper review for a period of five year (2008e2012). The newspapers examined included, The Daily Monitor, New Vision, Bukedde and Observer. Findings show that the decentralized health system has made significant progress in providing immunization services for under five children, setting up infrastructure in terms of building health units to reduce the radius of households to the health centers and in public private partnership. However, the identifed major weaknesses relate to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in delivery of health services: shortage of human resources and medical supplies, late response to epidemics, corruption, poor and inadequate accommodation for patients and medical personnel, late referrals , lack of/limited technological advancement and innovation and re activeness in responding to health issues and challenges. There is need to increase government funding, increase public –private partnership, reinforce laws on corruption and promote research and innovation.