BY NOBERT ATUKUNDA.
The Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Diana Atwine has asked blood banks to consider charging private hospitals service fees for supply of blood units.
She said private hospitals collect free processed blood from blood banks but sell it to patients claiming the payment is “processing fees”
Speaking at a handover ceremony of a donated van to Mengo hospital, DrAtwine added that the proposal to charge private hospitals processing fees is not intended to make profit but rather sustain the long procedure of processing blood.
She said it will also go a long way in sharing the burden of blood processing costs.
Dr Frank Kakuba, the head of Mengo Rotary Blood Bank, said they will discuss DrAtwine’s proposal and make a decision.
Processing one unit of blood goes for 40 dollars
