Pakwach District Woman Representative (DWR), Jane Avur Pacuto, has called on the leadership of Parliament to organize mandatory medical checkups for MPs, suggesting that doctors should visit Parliament to examine legislators, even though MPs have medical insurance and a clinic within the Parliament building. She argued that such measures would help reduce sudden deaths, citing the example of the late Kisoro DWR, Sarah Mateke, who passed away due to heart complications.
“It would be good if the leadership made it mandatory that after a certain period, say every 3 or 6 months, we have medical personnel come to check on us. While we have insurance, some diseases may go undetected because members aren’t willing to get regular checkups on their own. This is why you’re hearing those negative sentiments. It was heartbreaking for some of us to attend functions with Sarah Mateke, only to later hear of her sudden demise. It shows that many of us could be carrying ailments we’re unaware of,” said Pacuto.
However, Elijah Okupa (Kasilo County) questioned why some MPs heckled Pacuto when she requested special health measures for MPs. He recalled that, in the past, a team of medical workers stationed at Parliament conducted routine health checks whenever MPs entered or left the premises, and he urged for the practice to be reinstated.
“Just last week, one of our colleagues collapsed, and we had to rush him to the hospital. What the colleague is raising pertains to all of us, including the President, who has urged us to take care of ourselves. So, I wonder why people are heckling when a serious issue like this is being raised. I appeal to the Commission that, for those willing, we should have regular checks every morning and evening as we come in here. It shouldn’t be forced,” noted Okupa.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa reminded MPs that Parliament has a clinic within its premises where they can easily access basic medical checkups. He also suggested that Parliament should consider banning unhealthy foods like chapatti, mandazi, and sugar as part of a broader initiative to promote healthier living.
“You know we have a Parliamentary clinic; you can walk in at any time for simple checks. Please, let’s take advantage of that and not take our health for granted. We don’t want to say Sarah died because she didn’t do her checkups—she did, and she was open about her hypertension, often sharing her experiences with us. But I urge my colleagues to take this seriously. Also, in terms of lifestyle, I think we should remove chapatti, mandazi, and even sugar from our breakfast package and serve healthier options like water and cassava,” remarked Deputy Speaker Tayebwa.
This discussion took place during the plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Tuesday, 17 September 2024.
