KCCA health workers resume work

Jul 16, 2014

Health workers at Kisenyi and Kawaala health centres have agreed to resume work after Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) management assured them that their salaries were would be processed by Friday

By Taddeo Bwambale & Juliet Waiswa

Health workers at Kisenyi and Kawaala health centres have agreed to resume work after Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) management assured them that their salaries were would be processed by Friday.

Kawaala Health Centre staff resolved to return to work after a two-hour meeting with KCCA's human resources director, Jennifer Kaggwa .

"Ministry of Finance has assured us that the salaries for our health workers will be in their accounts by Friday. There was a hiccup in funds transfer but it has been resolved," Kaggwa told these reporters.

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KCCA director of human resources Jennifer Kaggwa addresses the press after holding meeting with striking health workers at Kawaala. Photos/Ronnie Kijjambu

Some of the health workers said they were claiming salary arrears of up to seven months from KCCA.

Shortly after the meeting, health workers started attending to over 100 patients who had camped at the health centre for hours since morning.

At Kisenyi Health Centre, health workers had by 10:00am resumed work. By midday, the facility was overwhelmed by the number of patients.

At Kiswa Health Centre III in Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb, health workers stayed away. Only the anti retroviral clinic at the facility was active.

The health facility, which receives over 600 patients daily, had about 50 patients waiting at the outpatient as nurses remained locked in a meeting.

"Do not waste your time here; if you can afford to go to a private clinic, please go there," a health worker was heard telling patients.

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Patients waiting for the outcome of the closed meeting between the director of human resource in Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Jennifer Kaggwa and striking health workers at Kawaala

KCCA has blamed the delay to pay salaries for health workers and teachers on the process of verification of the staff payroll.

Finance speaks out

The secretary to the treasury, Keith Muhakanizi confirmed that the finance ministry had released funds to pay KCCA health workers.

"It is true. We have already sent that money to their accounts," he said.

Muhakanizi revealed that the delay by KCCA to clear salary arrears for its staff was due to a shortage of funds and decentralisation of the payroll to rid it of 'ghosts.'

"KCCA did not have enough money in the previous financial year to pay salaries. We had to do it in this financial year," he stated. KCCA has 1,038 health workers.

The monthly wage bill for health workers and teachers is about sh2.4b.
 

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