Makerere University has procured International Air Ambulance - IAA, an international medical insurance firm operating in Kampala, to provide health insurance, medical services and treatment to staff.
Makerere University has procured International Air Ambulance - IAA, an international medical insurance firm operating in Kampala, to provide health insurance, medical services and treatment to staff.
The Makerere University Council made the decision last month and committed a total of 1.7 billion shillings towards individual staff insurance scheme every year effective 2018/2019 financial year.
Uganda's oldest university has 3,427 staff categorized into academic staff currently numbering 1614, Administrative at 318 and Support staff whose number is 1495.
Arthur Esimat, IAA's Sales Manager has requested the University Human Resources directorate for two staff to help in coordination and verification of eligible staff members at both main campus and affiliate institutions. These include Jinja campus, Lira, Kibaale branches, Buyana stock farm and Agricultural Research Institute - Kabanyolo. The exercise commences next week.
According to Esimat, "the enrollment phase involves capturing personal information and medical history, combined with sensitization of staff to equip them with knowledge of the services they are entitled to from this service."
Before its expansion, the staff at Makerere University used subsidized health services at the University Sickbay which later transformed into a university Hospital in the 1970s.
Staff would receive money from the university as part of their allowances to cater for their medical bills. The amount varied depending on the rank and position of individual staff.
Following demands for salary increment in 2013 by the University academic staff, council agreed to a 70% salary enhancement leading to the amalgamation of 33 allowances to form the incentive. And this was the time staff stopped receiving money specified for health.
Accordingly all staff members have been asked to register with IAA at a cost already met by the university council.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor says the scheme will commence effective January 2018.
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Prof. Nawangwe adds, however, that the scheme only caters for staff and not their families. The scheme according to Nawangwe was developed two years ago when council decided to fund it fully without contributions from staff due to uncompetitive salaries.
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He also notes that part of the negotiation for the scheme was to allow members of staff to contribute for their families if they so wish.
Davidson Ndyabahika
Freelancer