Minister Sarah Opendi

The State Minister for Health, Sarah Opendi, last week clashed with the Chairperson of Parliament’s committee on health, Dr.Michael Bukenya, in Parliament over statistics of babies that are reportedly dying at both Mulago referral and Kawempe hospital following the closure of Makerere University.

Opendi had appeared before Parliament with a statement showing that there was no cause for alarm at Mulago disputing the figures of 8-15 children dying at these two hospitals on a daily basis due to lack health services but Bukenya took to the floor and produced evidence indicating that 10 babies had recently died in one day as a result of birth related complications.

Opendi reiterated her statement that indicating that there was no need by government to hire the continuing doctors to salvage the suffering in the hospitals.

Bukenya also took on government for taking the matter of negotiations with the continuing doctors lightly when there was evident need for recruitment of doctors to alleviate the suffering in the hospitals and to reduce on preventable deaths of babies.

Michael Bukenya, the Parliamentary Health Committee Chairperson.

Bukenya’s submission was seconded by other MPs including: Bernard Atiku, Elijah Okupa and William Nzoghu who were demanding that the minister withdraws her statement for lack of content as they await the outcome of the meeting at State House Nakasero.

It took the intervention of the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya who stopped the MPs from discussing the matter after informing parliament that cabinet and other relevant authorities were meeting the President on this same matter at State House Nakasero.