Doctors’ strike: Akena to gov’t – “Initiative full of threats, is not welcome at this critical stage”

Last week, Dr. Henry G. Mwebesa, Director General Health Services in the Ministry of Health directed striking medical interns to vacate government hospitals across the country within seven days.

Kampala, Lira – 15, December 2021: Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party headed by Jimmy Akena Obote has bashed the NRM government on the current health crisis in the country.

For many days now, dozens of medical interns countrywide have laid down their tools over poor working condition, unsatisfactory remuneration and other factors.

In their cause, they have been joined by different health and medical bodies; institutions, among them Uganda Medical Association, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Faculty of Medicine), The Council of Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda, to mention but a few.

The above bodies have now been joined by dozens of Ugandans with diverse experience: from teachers to politicians, boda boda riders to peasant farmers, all are talking in unison and bashing government for letting this “go too far” and refusing to calm the situation.

“He [Museveni] told us he was securing our future. He should not assume it is secure [ed]. Those who should look after us in different hospitals are now saying ‘no’, ‘pay us’ and they are right,” Walusimbi Kato, a boda boda rider in Kampala told TND News, Wednesday.

“There is money for other program. Why not for Doctors? Are they not scientists Museveni often defend and promised to pay them handsomely?” Kato asked.

In their press statement to this publication dated 15, December, UPC say there is “need for dialogue with medical interns”.

“…. UPC has been following keenly and is very much concerned about the worrying situation in the Ministry of Health due to the continued medical interns strike and mixed reaction or response by the government,” a statement signed by party spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon reads in part.

She adds the several engagements between the leadership of Uganda Medical Association and government, and the new adjusted proposals or policies as well as the supplementary budget to address their concerns, was very much welcome as stated in one of our previous statements.

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“However, government has been slow in the effective implementation and release of supplementary funds, and to our surprise, the Ministry of Health directed the striking medical interns to vacate the hospital premises, this has escalated the situation!”

Arach said as a party that believes in peaceful dialogue, “We would like to address that any initiative full of threats, is not welcome at this critical stage as they do not offer any positive solutions to the doctor’s plight but rather places human life at stake!”

The Akena-led party say they call for a broader and honest dialogue in ending the strike in the health sector as well as good will, effective implementation and total commitment by government to address the general welfare of health workers across the country.

Last week, Dr. Henry G. Mwebesa, Director General Health Services in the Ministry of Health directed striking medical interns to vacate government hospitals across the country within seven days.

This week, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Health Minister maintained the government position, declaring that “they shan’t be shaken” by the strike.