Uganda Medical Association (UMA) is set to review governments’ commitment during the General Assembly to be held at Makerere University on 25th November 2017 to determine the fate of the health workers strike.
Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, the president of UMA said they received a commitment letter signed by ministry of finance but adds that they are not at liberty to comment because the different relevant bodies are still discussing the way forward.
“We have considered trusting government again after the president’s promise to give 5 million shillings to medical workers. It is the general assembly that has the mandate to make a decision.”
President Museveni promised to put aside 2 billion shillings for medical workers to cater for salary for starters. This is a huge relief to the public health workers who are demanding for better working conditions.
Government has been engaged in different meetings with the doctors to resolve the ‘industrial action’ that is now in its third week. However, Dr. Obuku urged the doctors to continue handling emergency cases as they await the final decision on Saturday during the general assembly.
“We have received a report of harassment of our members and interns by state. I would like to caution these individuals that this negative action would threaten us to reverse our decision.”
During the press conference held at Mulago on Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Obuku disclosed that it is the mandate of the general assembly to make the decision on whether to call off the strike or to continue.
Utility
The government has been engaged in back and forth negotiations with the doctors to get to a consensus.
Early this month, patients were left unattended to after public health workers went on strike ‘Industrial Strike’ demanding for adequate medicines to be supplied in different health centres, improve health workers and intern doctors welfare and to stop the ‘war on doctors’.
The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Police force (UPF) deployed its medical doctors in major hospitals to fill the void after the public health workers went on strike.
Uganda Medical Association (UMA) NEC met with the cabinet on 19th / 20th November to discuss the way forward for the heath workers at the office of the prime minister.