Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has thanked health workers at Lira Regional Referral Hospital for shunning the ongoing strike for a pay increase.

This was during her impromptu visit to the hospital on November 26.

"I thank health workers at Lira Regional Referral Hospital for prioritizing life and not joining the strike. The government is committed to improving the welfare of all health workers," she said.

She stated that she was impressed by the work ethic and commitment of doctors and health workers at this hospital.

The president of Uganda Medical Association (UMA), Dr Sam Oledo, told New Vision on November 26 that fruitful discussions were ongoing to call off their strike.

"We have had fruitful engagements with different stakeholders as regards the Presidential directives and as doctors we are grateful that doors have been opened for timely engagements and way forward to the doctors’ welfare and improvement in the working conditions," he said.

"We can see light at the end of the tunnel and we plan of further engagements with government to see to it that the directives by the fountain of honour are realised by doctors in the specified time frame," Oledo stated.

He, however, regretted the statement made by the state minister for primary health care Margaret Muhanga on one of the television stations in Kampala on their behalf.

A statement he said they choose to dissociate themselves from at such a time when fruitful discussions are ongoing.

"It is our prayer that these discussions see light in the shortest time possible for doctors to resume their duties," Oledo said.

Meeting Museveni

On November 23, President Museveni met the executive membership of UMA at State House in Entebbe.

"I reiterated the government's commitment to enhancing their salaries and welfare," Museveni late tweeted.

Health workers, including doctors, consultants, nurses, midwives, interns and pharmacists are striking for a pay increase and the improvement on their welfare.

Today, their strike has entered the fifth day.

Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi raised the issue of the health worker's strike during the plenary session on November 23.

"It's an emergency; hospitals are flooded because there are no medical workers to attend to them. Medical workers have gone on strike because they have been promised severally," he said.

The chairperson of the parliamentary committee on health, Dr Charles Ayume called on the health workers two days ago to call off the strike, saying they had approved supplementary requests that included money for salary enhancement for intern doctors.

"I, therefore, advise the interns to call off their proposed strike," he said in a tweet.