PRESS STATEMENT: CSOs Call for an End to the Persistent Stockouts of Essential Medicines and Health Supplies (EMHS)

The Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) with partners Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS-Uganda), The Uganda Medical Association (UMA), Action Group for Health, Human Rights, and HIV/AIDS (AGHA), Family salvation, held a CSOs Press conference to highlight the persistent stock-outs of Essential Medicines & Supplies.
The right to life, the right to health, and the right to dignity are all guaranteed under the International Legal Instruments, but Uganda as a nation struggles with persistent shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies in public health facilities.

Stock-out of essential medicine and health supplies has catastrophic consequences on the public health system.
Because of stock-outs, families have lost loved ones. But also, for the health sector, this leads to drug resistance
occasioned by the rationing of drugs by health service users or failure to take drugs as scheduled by a health worker.
The persistent stock-outs of essential medicines and health supplies contribute to the high out-of-pocket
expenditure share of the current 41%. It is also worth noting that stock-outs of EMHS lead to worsening health
inequities because a majority of poor people have no alternative to public health service delivery facilities.

Download the full Statement;