Don’t Break Pact, M7 Urges Medics
Apr 13, 2004
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday asked medical doctors not to renege the December agreement reached with him and call off their strike which was to start midnight last night.
By Vision Reporters
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday asked medical doctors not to renege the December agreement reached with him and call off their strike which was to start midnight last night.
In a crisis meeting with the Uganda Medical Association and the striking Makerere University lecturers, Museveni promised to address their grievances.
By press time yesterday, the doctors were locked in a meeting, hours from the strike, to decide whether to heed the President’s request, or go on with the strike.
“If they go on with the strike, they will have destroyed the “enaama†agreement we reached with them,†Museveni said of the looming strike.
“The doctors can call me... If there is anything to be solved, we shall solve it. Let us talk,†Museveni said.
He promised to address university lecturers’ pay demand, also averting their strike which had gone on for a week.
The meeting with the President at the International Conference Centre was also attended by Prime Minister and Chancellor Makerere University, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, health minister Brig. Jim Muhwezi and Education Ministers.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Ssebuwufu, also attended the meeting. Museveni asked the President of the Uganda Medical Workers Association, Dr. Margaret Mungherera, to discuss with her colleagues and call off the strike.
Health workers announced that they were to start an indefinite strike midnight last night, after all negotiation avenues had been exhausted.
“The decision is a painful one to our patients but we also need to sort out our welfare to be in the mood to offer quality medical services,†the chairman of the Uganda Medical and Allied Workers Union, Dr. Apollo Nyangasi, told the media on Monday.
Nyangasi also advised patients to seek services from private clinics until the Government addressed the medics’ pay issue.
He accused the Ministry of Public Service for failing to honour the salary increments promised them by the President.
Those who were to go on strike include doctors, nurses, clinical officers and other support staff.
According to Nyangasi, the health workers were to draw a skeleton staff to work.
Ends
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday asked medical doctors not to renege the December agreement reached with him and call off their strike which was to start midnight last night.
In a crisis meeting with the Uganda Medical Association and the striking Makerere University lecturers, Museveni promised to address their grievances.
By press time yesterday, the doctors were locked in a meeting, hours from the strike, to decide whether to heed the President’s request, or go on with the strike.
“If they go on with the strike, they will have destroyed the “enaama†agreement we reached with them,†Museveni said of the looming strike.
“The doctors can call me... If there is anything to be solved, we shall solve it. Let us talk,†Museveni said.
He promised to address university lecturers’ pay demand, also averting their strike which had gone on for a week.
The meeting with the President at the International Conference Centre was also attended by Prime Minister and Chancellor Makerere University, Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, health minister Brig. Jim Muhwezi and Education Ministers.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Ssebuwufu, also attended the meeting. Museveni asked the President of the Uganda Medical Workers Association, Dr. Margaret Mungherera, to discuss with her colleagues and call off the strike.
Health workers announced that they were to start an indefinite strike midnight last night, after all negotiation avenues had been exhausted.
“The decision is a painful one to our patients but we also need to sort out our welfare to be in the mood to offer quality medical services,†the chairman of the Uganda Medical and Allied Workers Union, Dr. Apollo Nyangasi, told the media on Monday.
Nyangasi also advised patients to seek services from private clinics until the Government addressed the medics’ pay issue.
He accused the Ministry of Public Service for failing to honour the salary increments promised them by the President.
Those who were to go on strike include doctors, nurses, clinical officers and other support staff.
According to Nyangasi, the health workers were to draw a skeleton staff to work.
Ends