Amid growing concerns about the high cost of healthcare in Uganda, the Ministry of Health is working on a regulatory framework to control pricing in private medical facilities. Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Director of Public Health, said the move is aimed at ensuring fair and accessible healthcare for all Ugandans.
Speaking at the launch of AscendisMed—a new not-for-profit health facility in Kololo—Dr. Kyabayinze referenced the COVID-19 pandemic as a critical moment that exposed the need for intervention. He noted that during the crisis, many private hospitals charged extremely high fees for services like ICU care and oxygen, with some patients facing daily bills of up to Shs3 million, well beyond what most citizens could afford.
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To address such challenges, the ministry plans to engage healthcare stakeholders in establishing a pricing structure that prioritizes affordability and access.
AscendisMed, which previously operated in South Sudan, aims to provide high-quality emergency and general medical care on a cost-recovery basis. The facility, co-founded by U.S. surgeon Dr. Charles Linderman and Ugandan partner Julius Nakiyi, promises ethical healthcare delivery free from profit pressures. Linderman emphasized the center’s focus on patient welfare over profits and highlighted innovations such as electronic health records and streamlined referrals.
The government’s collaboration with ethical providers like AscendisMed signals a broader commitment to reducing inequality in the healthcare sector and ensuring that pricing does not become a barrier to life-saving services.
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