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What you need to know: The issue: Increased health budget. Our view: The increased allocation should reflect in the quality of services offered in health facilities and also increase access to care. Thank you for reading Nation.Africa Show plans The Minister of Finance, Mr Matia Kasaija, on Thursday announced that the Budget for the health sector has been significantly increased in the 2025/2026 Financial Year to Shs5.8 trillion, up from Shs2.9 trillion in the previous Financial Year. This is a good development and indicates prioritisation of the essential services required by the taxpayers amid the reduced donor support. The health sector has been heavily relying on donor support. The increased allocation should reflect in the quality of services offered in health facilities and also increase access to care. This will be...

… US$300 million medical facility, developed by Afreximbank inaugurated Africans can now heave a sigh of relieve after many years of seeking medical care abroad. The inauguration of the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja marks a transformative milestone in Africa’s healthcare sector, promising to alleviate the burden of medical tourism and retain billions in healthcare spending within the continent. For decades, a significant number of Africans have sought specialized treatment abroad, incurring exorbitant costs and straining national health systems. With an estimated savings of $6 to $10 billion annually, the Centre’s establishment directly addresses the urgent need for advanced medical infrastructure, aiming to reduce reliance on overseas treatment and provide world-class healthcare services locally. Equipped with cutting-edge technology and staffed by leading medical professionals, the facility is set to become a beacon of hope for patients requiring spe...

Broken bones caused by osteoporosis have cost the British economy more than £142 million in Labour’s first year in power, according to new research. A further 660,000 work days were estimated to have been lost due to sickness absence. Campaigners say the figures, taken from independent research commissioned by the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS), are just one indicator of the toll osteoporosis is taking on the UK economy. The ROS is calling for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to deliver on his promise to improve osteoporosis services in his forthcoming NHS 10-Year Plan, set to be announced next month. Osteoporosis – suffered by 3.5 million people in the UK – causes bones in the body to lose strength and break more easily. The condition can be devastatingly painful, cause permanent disabilities and reduce patients’ independence, causing 500,000 broken bones every year in the UK. Half of all women and around a fifth of men over 50 will break a bon...

The Government is failing to recoup what could amount to millions of pounds each year from European countries for treating their citizens on the NHS , The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The Department of Health and Social Care charged European nations just £29.5million last year to pay for their citizens to be treated in Britain's hospitals. Yet the UK's bill for the healthcare costs of British pensioners and holidaymakers treated in European hospitals came to nearly £1billion in the same period. Critics say it raises concerns that the Government is allowing the NHS to be 'taken for a ride' by Europe on healthcare costs. While European nations bill the Government for care provided to Britons based on hospital invoices, the MoS has learned UK officials compile bills for countries based on 'estimates' of costs incurred by the NHS to treat their citizens. Campaigners say the true figure is likely to be significantly higher. And while the NHS ...