Nurses complain of harassment, torture

NURSES and midwives under the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union have complained of harassment and torture by patients.

By Ali Mambule

NURSES and midwives under the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union have complained of harassment and torture by patients.

The president of the union, Janet Obuni, told health state minister Dr. Richard Nduhura that many nurses and midwives were considering abandoning the profession because of the mistreatment.

Obuni was speaking during celebrations to mark the Nurses’ Day at the Golf Lane Hotel in Masaka recently.

She said even doctors and senior health practitioners disrespected them. “They slap our colleagues and most commonly abuse them in front of the patients,” Obuni added.

She also complained that many doctors neglected their duties and left the nurses to do their work.

Obuni requested the doctors to change their negative attitude towards the nurses.

She also suggested that nurses and midwives should be consulted at all levels of health policy development because they were the major implementers of most policies.
Nduhura promised to address the nurses’ concerns.