Medical interns resume work

 

 

KAMPALA - Medical interns have resolved to resume work three weeks after they lay down their tools, citing dire conditions they were facing as they executed their work.

 

The interns however expressed concern saying, whereas most of them had received their salaries, some hospital administrators continue to halt monies of some of their colleagues, which they said is not in good faith.

 

Towards the end of last month, intern health workers went on strike due to lack of transport, food and housing allowances.

 

They cited none payment of allowances totaling to two months in all hospitals and three months in Soroti Regional Referral Hospital whose December payment had not been effected.

 

But, while addressing journalists at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Monday, Robert Lubega the president, medical interns said some hospitals continue to harass interns despite the release of payments by the finance and health ministry.

 

"After recent engagements with interns at the 35 internship hospitals, we found out that majority had received money on their individual accounts except Hoima, Masaka, Soroti Regional Referral Hospitals and Entebbe, Lyantonde, Nsambya and Tororo hospitals," he said.

 

"This is a selfish move by hospital administrators who are simply frustrating interns," Lubega added, calling on the health ministry to intervene on the matter.

 

 

When contacted, Dr Moses Muwanga, the director Entebbe hospital said medical interns attached to their hospital had been paid up to March, before they went on strike in April adding that, inlike other hospitals, they did not have any arrears.

 

"They have not reported to the hospital. So if they were not working how would we have paid people who are not on ground? How can you start striking when you have not worked for that money?" Muwanga stated.

 

Dr Peter Mukodi, who heads Hoima Regional Referral hospital denied the allegation by the interns saying the hospital paid them as soon as the ministry released the money.

 

"I signed all cheques. Whether they got the money on their account or not is another issue. It could be that the banks they are attached to, delayed the payments," Mukodi said.

 

"However, if there is anyone who was not paid, they should contact the hospital rather than going to the press," he added.

 

Aron Nahabwe the publicist for the national medical interns' executive committee said intern health workers cater for over 30,000 patients a day (one million a month) and on average, every intern sees about 30 patients per day.

 

He however said recurrent challenges like lack of supplies and utilities, delayed payments and poor welfare affect their internship experience.

 

It is against the above background that they called for the regularisation of interns into the public service structure with formal appointment letters and clear terms of reference that they said will help solve some of the challenges they are experiencing.