HEALTHCARE FUNDING: THE NEED FOR PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS IN FUNDING CARE HOMES IN UGANDA-NORTHERN UGANDA.
By Joan A. Atim Governments bear a legal duty to provide healthcare yet due to the overstretched capacity of primary healthcare, persons (legal persons) have set up private hospitals including care homes to meet the healthcare needs of the population. Care homes are on the increase in the world today including in Africa, as some people resort to care homes to ease the burdens of sicknesses and assisted living. These care homes function with the help of medical and support staff to maintain and provide medical services to the patients. The integrated approach to healthcare services is much welcome and requires funding for it to be affordable to the target population. Research and statistics reveal that funding for primary health remains low as against the national budget and has been on a regressive scale since 2010. Uganda’s health sector is still largely underfunded, making it difficult to attain sector targets.