Ministry of Health (MoH) has roared at Medical Interns who laid down tools to strike against the little pay and working conditions and government’s failure to improve their welfare. This is the second time this year the interns are striking following another strike in May this year where they wanted salary enhancement from UGshs960,000 to at least three millions and provide housing for them.
The interns launched a strike after Doctors under their umbrella Uganda Medical Association (UMA) laid down tools siting poor working conditions and little salary, they met the president who asked them to get back to work as government sorts out their grievances, however to the shock of president Museveni, the Doctors instead just continued with their strike and have since refused to return to work as patients suffer the consequences in hospitals across the country.
However, in a letter dated 10th December from the ministry of health seen by this website, Director General Health Services Dr Henry Mwebesa has ordered Striking Intern Doctors to return to work or risk being replaced by another shift joining early next year.
Mwebesa says the Interns are just unfair since the ministry asked for a supplementary from parliament to solve the intern’s concerns, he further says the supplementary was approved and the ministry is only awaiting release of funds from the ministry of finance, planning and economic development and they will be paid upto the date they began their strike.
The statement further suggests that since the interns have been away from their places of work for over 5 weeks, the Ministry of Health Top management decided that all medical interns on strike vacate the hospital premises with in one week of the date of the letter to pave way for the new interns due to start next year.
MoH striking interns
Also the top management of Ministry of health decided that as soon as funds meant for the enhancement of the interns’ allowances are released by the ministry of finance, the interns will be paid upto the time they went on strike. All those who went on strike will find their way through to complete their second rotation in order to be signed off since they’re just two months away to get fully registered with their professional councils as medical officers, Pharmacists and Nurses/Midwives thus opening their ways to the job market.
We await to see if the same fate will follow the striking Doctors who have vowed not to return to their work stations until something tangible is achieved from their strike not just empty words and statements from the concerned authorities.
In Uganda Doctors and teachers strike most as government promises salary enhancements but the promise is never realized hence the strikes.