Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng and her Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine have reportedly declared war against Makerere University over #Covid-19 testing money Eagle Online has learnt.
At the centre of the clash between the Health Ministry top honchos and Makerere University is the cost of running Covid-19 tests.
This website has learnt that the Health Ministry wants to run the costs at $65 (Shs234,000)while Makerere University says the tests can be done at $30(Shs108,000).
The issue of the Heath Ministry inflating the costs of running Covid-19 tests was first raised by Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko.
MP Nsereko revealed that the Health Ministry is conducting Rapid Diagnostic Tests(RDT) at $65(Shs 234,000) while the same tests can be procured at $3.65(Shs14,400) on the open market.
MP Nsereko further revealed that the Health Ministry tests 3000 truck drivers per day,at a cost of $195,000(Sh721m daily).
The Health Ministry released a press statement dismissing Nsereko’s revelations.
The clash over the cost of testing #Covid-19 samples took a turn for the worse when the Health Ministry leadership met President Museveni and told him that some tests that were conducted at Makerere University are inaccurate.
A source told Eagle Online “Those so called negative results they informed the president were some of the negative propaganda they (ministry) have started on us and it is basically about $30 testing kits that we are using against theirs of $60. We pray that truth will come out one day”.
The Ministry of Health Senior Public Relations Manager, Emmanuel Ainebyoona told Eagle Online that Makerere/Mulango should own and apologise to the country about the mistakes committed instead of going defensive.
“That is what they are saying but it is not correct. This money they are talking about was from a certain university which the ministry also received. However, we what to know what method they are using that costs $30. If they made an error, they should own up but the minister is responding to all these allegations shortly in a detailed statement”
A source from the National Health Taskforce that attended the meeting indicated that the Health Ministry is determined to completely discredit Makerere University.
