Last Updated on: 3rd March 2023, 07:27 pm
Gulu Regional Referral Hospital is a government-owned facility serving the people of Acholi and beyond.
By Willbroad Onencan
Fifty (50) support staff at Gulu regional referral hospital on Thursday morning laid down their tools after working for three months without pay.
One of the workers who requested for her name not to be mentioned told TND News in an interview that they have never got their salary since this year started.
The affected employee added that the last time they received payment was in December 2022.
She also added that they have raised the matter to the hospital administrator and the response was negative.
“…this prompted us to lay down tools since our voices cannot be heard.”
However, one of the male workers who also requested for his name not to be mentioned, said they are facing various challenges including water crises during (this) dry season.
They are using one borehole which is serving the entire hospital and the situation is difficult for them to execute their duty.
He further noted that their landlords are evicting them from their houses because of the rent which has been accumulating for the last three months.
He said this makes their lives difficult in the communities.
Alfred Nuwagaba, the private contractor in charge of cleaning at Gulu regional referral hospital acknowledged the complaint raised by cleaners, saying “the problems are the hospital administrators who delayed with the payment making workers lay down their tools”.
He also blamed the hospital administrator for delaying paying their salary in time so that they sort out this issue of delayed payments.
Nuwagaba urged workers to be patient and promised to pay them “with immediate effect on Friday”.
Adong Agnes, a patient attendant at the regional hospital said they cannot access the toilet because it is “very dirty” and appealed to the hospital administrator to address the matter appropriately so that others cannot get another infection from the hospital.
Dr. Florence Oyella, the Assistant Administrator of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital says she is not aware of
any strike, adding that she will follow up on the issue.
The most affected units are the maternal ward and Outpatient Department (OPD). The facility is public government-headed).