Patients stranded as medics strike
Jul 25, 2011
THE strike by intern medical workers has paralysed services at several hospitals across the country.
By Vision Reporters
THE strike by intern medical workers has paralysed services at several hospitals across the country.
At some of the hospitals, patients requiring minor surgery were sent back home as doctors concentrated on only emergency cases.
The intern medics, pharmacists and nursing officers went on strike on Friday, protesting a proposal to extend their internship from one to two years.
They have also complained about what they call “forceful deployment†to up-country health facilities.
The interns further argue that they should not be required to do internship for two years in order to be issued with practising licences.
At Mulago Hospital, Justine Nakaayi, whose relative is admitted at Ward 4B, said: “Since Saturday, our patient has not been attended to by doctors.â€
Mulago public relations officer Dan Kimosho said interns play an essential role in the maternity, patient admissions, emergency, casualty and general wards where patient turn-up is high.
“The interns are on strike, but the situation is under control. The hospital management is coping with the problems, but we hope to resolve them as quickly as possible,†he added, although some patients claimed otherwise.
At Jinja Hospital, several patients that had been awaiting surgery were yesterday sent back home without undergoing operation.
The hospital director, Dr. Michael Osinde, revealed that due to the gap created by striking interns only emergency cases would to be attended to.
“We have been heavily affected. We had to call back all medical officers who were on leave. They are now on first-on-call (meaning they attend to each and every case that checks into the hospital), which is proving to be strenuous,†Osinde said.
“Our biggest fear is if we get an influx of casualities, the people available may not be able to handle. We are praying the conflict comes to an early conclusion,†Osinde said.
The patients due for surgery appealed to the Government to quickly resolve the conflict with the interns.
A resident from Nkondo village in Buyende district, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had spent a week at the hospi¬tal with his seven-year-old daughter waiting for an operation.
The girl (name withheld) was diagnosed with ovarian swellings and was scheduled for an operation on July 22, which did not take place. She remains at the hospital awaiting the strike to end before she can be operated on.
Kabarole Hospital was equally hit by the strike and the few available doctors had to work longer hours.
The director, Dr Charles Olaro, said the hospital had 13 intern doctors who worked in the surgical, maternity, general, and children’s wards.
“Their service to the hospital has been significant. It boosted the hospital staff. But laying down their tools has had an impact we are feeling now. Thirteen doctors leaving at once is not a small issue,†Olaro said.
He said the permanent staff at the hospital had to work longer hours in order to fill in the shortage and ensure that patients get services.
At Mbale Hospital, a few intern doctors turned up for work, prompting the senior doctors and nurses to take on most of the work.
The hospital has 12 intern doctors and the few who turned up spent most of the time in a meeting with the director, Dr. Benon Wanume.
Top health ministry officials who included the director general of health services, Dr. Jane Aceng, and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Asuman Lukwago, yesterday held a crisis meeting with representatives of the interns at Mulago’s lecturer hall on the sixth floor.
During the meeting, the officials requested the interns to resume work.
However, interns’ leaders rejected the resumption of work. They also said they had elected new leaders who the ministry should communicate to.
The interns said they had lost confidence in their leader Dr. Caesar Magumba, and had elected Dr. Baifer Alinyo.
By last evening (Monday), the interns were due to meet at Galloway House to decide the way forward.
During the meeting, Aceng read a statement in which she clarified that the issues the interns were protesting against were still proposals.
Aceng said: “While it is true that proposals were being advanced concerning human resource availability in our health facilities, it is not true the Ministry of Health has intentions of withholding registration certificates of any incoming medical officers or extending the internship period.â€
“I am advising all interns to exercise restraint when they hear unfounded allegations and always seek clarification before resorting to means that are harmful to human life,†she added.
Dr. Aceng also clarified that registration of medical doctors is done by the Uganda Medical and the Dental Practitioners Council, which does not work in isolation.
She explained that deployment of those who have completed internship in upcountry health facilities is to offer jobs to those who are interested, pending recruitment by the Health Service Commission and District Service Commissions.
“The deployment is not only to health centre IVs, but referral hospitals inclusive,†she added.
Later yesterday, Dr. Lukwago told New Vision by telephone that they had made headway and some interns had been advised to resume work in Masaka, Kabarole and Mbale hospitals.
Report by Raymond Baguma, Viola Nabatanzi, Frank Mugabi, Hope Mafaranga, Daniel Edyegu, and Agnes Nantambi
THE strike by intern medical workers has paralysed services at several hospitals across the country.
At some of the hospitals, patients requiring minor surgery were sent back home as doctors concentrated on only emergency cases.
The intern medics, pharmacists and nursing officers went on strike on Friday, protesting a proposal to extend their internship from one to two years.
They have also complained about what they call “forceful deployment†to up-country health facilities.
The interns further argue that they should not be required to do internship for two years in order to be issued with practising licences.
At Mulago Hospital, Justine Nakaayi, whose relative is admitted at Ward 4B, said: “Since Saturday, our patient has not been attended to by doctors.â€
Mulago public relations officer Dan Kimosho said interns play an essential role in the maternity, patient admissions, emergency, casualty and general wards where patient turn-up is high.
“The interns are on strike, but the situation is under control. The hospital management is coping with the problems, but we hope to resolve them as quickly as possible,†he added, although some patients claimed otherwise.
At Jinja Hospital, several patients that had been awaiting surgery were yesterday sent back home without undergoing operation.
The hospital director, Dr. Michael Osinde, revealed that due to the gap created by striking interns only emergency cases would to be attended to.
“We have been heavily affected. We had to call back all medical officers who were on leave. They are now on first-on-call (meaning they attend to each and every case that checks into the hospital), which is proving to be strenuous,†Osinde said.
“Our biggest fear is if we get an influx of casualities, the people available may not be able to handle. We are praying the conflict comes to an early conclusion,†Osinde said.
The patients due for surgery appealed to the Government to quickly resolve the conflict with the interns.
A resident from Nkondo village in Buyende district, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had spent a week at the hospi¬tal with his seven-year-old daughter waiting for an operation.
The girl (name withheld) was diagnosed with ovarian swellings and was scheduled for an operation on July 22, which did not take place. She remains at the hospital awaiting the strike to end before she can be operated on.
Kabarole Hospital was equally hit by the strike and the few available doctors had to work longer hours.
The director, Dr Charles Olaro, said the hospital had 13 intern doctors who worked in the surgical, maternity, general, and children’s wards.
“Their service to the hospital has been significant. It boosted the hospital staff. But laying down their tools has had an impact we are feeling now. Thirteen doctors leaving at once is not a small issue,†Olaro said.
He said the permanent staff at the hospital had to work longer hours in order to fill in the shortage and ensure that patients get services.
At Mbale Hospital, a few intern doctors turned up for work, prompting the senior doctors and nurses to take on most of the work.
The hospital has 12 intern doctors and the few who turned up spent most of the time in a meeting with the director, Dr. Benon Wanume.
Top health ministry officials who included the director general of health services, Dr. Jane Aceng, and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Asuman Lukwago, yesterday held a crisis meeting with representatives of the interns at Mulago’s lecturer hall on the sixth floor.
During the meeting, the officials requested the interns to resume work.
However, interns’ leaders rejected the resumption of work. They also said they had elected new leaders who the ministry should communicate to.
The interns said they had lost confidence in their leader Dr. Caesar Magumba, and had elected Dr. Baifer Alinyo.
By last evening (Monday), the interns were due to meet at Galloway House to decide the way forward.
During the meeting, Aceng read a statement in which she clarified that the issues the interns were protesting against were still proposals.
Aceng said: “While it is true that proposals were being advanced concerning human resource availability in our health facilities, it is not true the Ministry of Health has intentions of withholding registration certificates of any incoming medical officers or extending the internship period.â€
“I am advising all interns to exercise restraint when they hear unfounded allegations and always seek clarification before resorting to means that are harmful to human life,†she added.
Dr. Aceng also clarified that registration of medical doctors is done by the Uganda Medical and the Dental Practitioners Council, which does not work in isolation.
She explained that deployment of those who have completed internship in upcountry health facilities is to offer jobs to those who are interested, pending recruitment by the Health Service Commission and District Service Commissions.
“The deployment is not only to health centre IVs, but referral hospitals inclusive,†she added.
Later yesterday, Dr. Lukwago told New Vision by telephone that they had made headway and some interns had been advised to resume work in Masaka, Kabarole and Mbale hospitals.
Report by Raymond Baguma, Viola Nabatanzi, Frank Mugabi, Hope Mafaranga, Daniel Edyegu, and Agnes Nantambi