Put patriotism, integrity before money, Minister Lukisa urges psychiatric health trainees
Minister Lukisa challenged the graduates to demonstrate their love for Uganda by providing quality health services to all Ugandans, including those living in the most remote communities, regardless of whether they receive allowances.
Minister Dr Lukisa urged the graduates to consider contributing to Uganda’s development before seeking employment opportunities abroad.
KAMPALA - The Minister of State for Youth and Children’s Affairs, Dr Mercy Faith Lakisa, has urged psychiatric health trainees at Butabika in Kampala to practise patriotism, integrity and professionalism by protecting government medicines, fighting corruption and putting patients’ needs before financial gain.
Lukisa made the remarks Monday as she presided over the passing-out ceremony of 404 psychiatric health trainees from the Butabika School of Psychiatric Nursing and the Butabika School of Psychiatric Clinical Officers in Kampala.
The training of the patriots is conducted under the State House National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps, where President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is the Chief Patriot, under the leadership of Commissioner Hellen Seku.
Lukisa (C) challenged the graduates to demonstrate their love for Uganda by providing quality health services to all Ugandans, including those living in the most remote communities, regardless of whether they receive allowances.
“Please practise patriotism as a healthy work by offering services with no strings attached, even in the smallest and most remote villages, even when you do not receive an allowance. There are health workers in villages who put service before money,” Dr Lukisa said.
She urged the graduates to protect government medicines and other public resources as they would protect their own property, saying this would help ensure that Ugandans continue to access free government health services and contribute to improving the country’s health sector.
She further urged them to demonstrate their love for Uganda by promoting mental health and helping communities avoid practices and behaviours that can contribute to mental health disorders.
Dr Lukisa also encouraged the graduates to make use of government programmes designed to support young people and entrepreneurs, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga and other government skills-development initiatives, which can provide them with opportunities and start-up support.
In her concluding remarks, Dr Lukisa urged the graduates to consider contributing to Uganda’s development before seeking employment opportunities abroad.
"I challenge you to first explore opportunities available in Uganda and use your skills to strengthen the country’s health sector," she said, adding, “Let us think about Uganda first. Before going abroad, first explore all the opportunities available here and use your expertise to build Uganda. We have to build our country together.”