Government abandoned the late Dr. Kaggwa, says family
By Lilian Namagembe
The family of former executive director of Mulago Hospital has lashed at government for failure to provide him medical care before he breathed his last yesterday.
Dr. Lawrence Kaggwa who served as Mulago Hospital boss for 12 years until 2005 had also been in public service for 35 years where he served in different capacities under the Ministry of Health.
At the time he was admitted at Uganda Heart Institute last month where he succumbed to cardiovascular respiratory failure, there were reports that the former Mulago boss was stranded after failing to pay his medical bills.
Eva Kaggwa, the deceased’s eldest daughter says they are yet to receive the Shs1.5m that was promised by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda as contributions towards her father’s unspecified medical bill.
She, however, said Ministry of Health where the late Kaggwa served as director planning after his tenure at Mulago, contributed Shs3m towards his treatment.
Eva was also grateful to the Heart Institute director Dr John Omangino for relieving them of the medical bills at the time when the family was stranded with the hefty fees.
Daily Monitor however understands that government is under no obligation to fund treatment for its retired employees like Dr Kaggwa who had since moved to the private sector; even though some time the president has gone ahead to foot medical bills of a few selected pensioners.
According to family members, the deceased’ body is still at Mulago mortuary as they wait from his children most of whom stay out of the country to arrive any time , and thereafter a funeral service is expected to be organized.
Burial is also expected to take place in Masaka district in Serinnya village, Kyannamukaaka sub-county.
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