Doctors Warn of Health Crisis Over USAID Funding Withdrawal, Demand Justice for Dr. Kizza Besigye
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has warned that the withdrawal of USAID funding poses a serious health crisis, putting over 1.5 million Ugandans living with HIV at risk of losing access to life saving medication. Doctors are urging the government to secure a supplementary budget to cover the shortfall and ensure continued treatment.
Speaking to journalists at Mulago on Sunday, UMA President Dr. Herbert Luswata also raised concerns over unpaid doctors who fought the Ebola outbreak in Mubende, warning that failure to pay them is demotivating frontline workers. The association is calling on the Ministry of Health to act urgently.
Furthermore, Luswata, added that doctors are also alarmed about the deteriorating health of Dr. Kizza Besigye in prison, citing his inability to control motor functions and other concerning symptoms.
In line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the World Medical Association's Declaration of Tokyo, UMA asserts that Dr. Besigye is entitled to the highest standard of healthcare, either within the community or at a medical facility of his choice, considering his status as a public figure.
They stress that medical care must be provided without discrimination, even in detention, as outlined by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules).
Given the severity of his condition, UMA is urgently calling for his immediate release on medical grounds to access specialized treatment and nutritional support that prison facilities cannot provide.
UMA urges the President, Judiciary, Uganda Prisons Service, Parliament, and Executive to facilitate his immediate medical release and allow independent specialists to evaluate and treat him.
They warn that denying medical care to Besigye sets a dangerous precedent for the health sector and call on fellow doctors and the public to stand against such ill-treatment. With pressure mounting, the government is urged to act swiftly to prevent further deterioration of Uganda’s healthcare system.
