The Ministry of Health (MOH) has allocated 48% of this year’s 11.42 billion shillings budget to wages of health workers and staff in the sector.
Undersecretary Ronald Ssegawa noted that the ministry hopes the allocation for salaries will motivate the medics who have constantly go on strike because of poor or delayed pay.
Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine said this financial year, MOH would concentrate on quality rather than quantity.
Dr Atwine added that the ministry aims to reduce on medical referrals abroad. They will do this by carrying on training, recruitment and motivation of specialists and staff on top of improving their infrastructure.
The budgetary priority announcement was made at the monthly Ministry of Health breakfast meeting held the ministry headquarters in Kampala.
The selected staff to benefit from the 48% budget allocation include; intern doctors, senior officers and retired health workers have also been included in the budget.
The meeting was attended by the Executive Director Mulago hospital Dr Byarugaba Betarana who announced that the national referral hospital is set for a grand opening next month.