As coronavirus cases surge in Uganda, making scarce hospital beds even more expensive, concern is growing over the alleged exploitation of patients by private hospitals accused of demanding payment up front and hiking fees, AP reports.

Uganda is among the African countries seeing a dramatic rise in the number of infections amid a severe vaccine shortage.

Without a national health insurance scheme, Covid-19 has highlighted that healthcare in Uganda is “commoditised, available to the highest bidder”, said Daniel Kalinaki, a columnist with the Daily Monitor newspaper.

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