"Hospitals charge Shs5m per day to treat Covid-19"

As the second wave of Covid-19 rages, hospitals have revealed that they are charging between Shs2m and Shs5m per day to treat a critically ill patient. The patient spends 14 to 31 days in hospital  depending on the severity of the disease, according to medical experts. This means a critically ill patient spends between Shs62m and Shs155m.
These charges are largely unbearable to many Ugandans, given the per capita income of $777 (Shs2.7m).

The family of Dr Alex Mulindwa, a 33-year-old medical specialist, who died of Covid-19 last week in one of the private health facilities in Kampala, couldn’t afford the exorbitant charges in a private hospital , according to Dr Mukuzi Muhereza, a friend to the deceased. Dr Muhereza, who is also the general secretary for Uganda Medical Association, said after Dr Mulindwa’s death, the facility [name withheld] decided to withhold the body because of the accrued bill...

Dr Denis Kimalyo, the executive director of Uganda National Association of Private Hospitals, said the charges by some private facilities are high because of the loan they acquired to establish the ICU and pay specialists. “Installation of ICUs have been costly and most facilities are rushing to recover the money.  But also in the private sector where factors of supply and demand are at play, such [high] charges are expected,” Dr Kimalyo said.