No money for health workers' salary rise—minister

By Mary Karugaba     

Health workers may have to wait a bit longer again to have their salaries increased, MPs have heard.

This is because the Ministry of Fnance has not provided the needed sh214b to have all health workers' salary increased by the proposed 100%.

Appearing before the social service committee on Monday, health minister, Christine Ondoa accompanied by officials from the ministry told MPs that due to budget shortfalls, the ministry could not even afford a 50% salary increment.

“Our hands are tied. This [salary increment] was our first thing we needed to tackle. We presented it to the Ministry of Finance together with other priority issues but we were unable to have the money increased,” Andoa told the MPs.

“We proposed two options. One is to have the salaries increased by 100% and if not at least by 50%. The ministry still feels that the health workers' salaries need to be improved because without a motivated health work force, not much will be done.”

Her statement however incensed the MPs who threatened to block the ministry's budget unless the health workers' salaries are raised. Most said at least it should be raised by 15%.

According to the Ministry of Health, an average enrolled nurse receives about sh270, 000 while a medical doctor earns about sh700, 000.

According to a 2010 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) report, Uganda has 28,000 health workers currently employed in service.

Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo said if the Government wants the health sector to perform effectively, they should increase the workers' pay and improve their housing standards.

We cannot accept this to keep going on. The health workers' salaries should at least be increased by 15%. If we don't have all the money, at least increase the salaries of health workers in rural areas, he said.

The ministry officials were appearing before the committee to defend their proposed budget for the financial year 2012/13.

The MPs were also angered that although patients were dying in hospitals due to lack of drugs, National Medical Stores (NMS) was ‘busy spending billions of money procuring irrelevant drugs.’

The committee chairman Sam Lyomoki proposed that NMS should change its procurement methods and procure what is required by the health facilities. 

“You should change your methods. Purchase what is relevant and take it to the hospitals. What is not relevant to them will be sent back to you,” Lyomoki said.

Minister Ondoa informed the members that the sector budget has been reduced this financial year from sh814b to sh761b, representing a sh5.4b decrease.

According to the minister, the reduction is as a result of the completion of two major projects that were funded by donors.

She also informed members that sh100b has been provided this financial year to cater for the sustainability of the ARVs and Artemisia Combination Therapies (ACTS).

She appealed to members to support the ministry in its quest to have the ARVs financing increased to cater for the growing numbers of patients.