By Kabuye Ronald
High court judge Phillip Odoki has ordered Uganda’s health minister Jane Ruth Acero and the government through the attorney general to defend themselves on failure to standardize health care service pricing which has emanated into exorbitant pricing for the same by Friday this week.
HEAPI filed a public interest human rights enforcement case at the High Court of Lira in 2020 which was transferred to high court Kampala by the principal judge Flavan Zeija for quick management.
The case seeks for a declaration that government’s omission and failure to standardize levies, rates, and pricing of medical services provided by private health facilities for legitimate purposes of availability, accessibility and affordability threatens and violates the patients’ right to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment as well as their rights to life, health, human dignity, equality and freedom from discrimination enshrined in Articles 24, 45(a), 22, 45, 20, & 21 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 as amended; and all relevant Regional and International Human Rights Instruments to which Uganda is a signatory.
Justice Odoki who heard the petition exparte in presence of Sam Sekyewa and Alinaitwe Lawrence counsel for the applicants ordered that a certificate of urgency be granted, that application is urgent in nature, that the respondent file their affidavits in response by this Friday 9th, July, 2021 and rejoinder if any by 13th, July, with written submission and the respondent to file theirs by 15th, July and rejoinder if any by 16th, July, 2021.
He also ordered that the submissions should not be more than 7 pages, double space font not less than 12 authorities all authorities’ relied on should be attached and properly highlighted while the cost of the application should be in the cause. https://trustednewsug.com/index.php/2021/07/02/principal-judge-transfers-court-case-seeking-to-stop-exorbitant-pricing-for-health-services/
The applicant also seeks an order compelling government to urgently consult all stakeholders and formulate and introduce fair and affordable payment ceilings for all medical treatments provided by private health facilities and the same be published in places accessible to the general public.
HEAPI further seeks court intervention in compelling government to issue regulations that shall among others restrain all private hospitals from detaining patients and holding bodies of deceased persons for pecuniary reasons; provide penalties for exorbitant pricing of life saving medical goods and services; provide emergency care protocols for the immediate admission and treatment of critically ill patients in private health facilities without subjecting them to conditional payments; as well as facilitate and create regional grievance redress avenues for patients and relatives of patients to report incidents of maltreatment by private health facilities.
