Lira Hospital strike to be probed â€" minister
Feb 11, 2008
THE Ministry of Health is to investigate the death of patients in Lira Hospital during the medical staff strike. State minister for health Dr. Emmanuel Otaala said appropriate action would be taken depending on the findings.
By Anne Mugisa
and Ali Mao
THE Ministry of Health is to investigate the death of patients in Lira Hospital during the medical staff strike. State minister for health Dr. Emmanuel Otaala said appropriate action would be taken depending on the findings.
The strikers resumed work yesterday after the ministry assured them that their allowance would be paid. The workers had downed their tools to demand unpaid risk allowance for six months.
“We are now pursuing the funds for them,†Otaala said. He added that only seven patients died during the strike that stretched for six days, and not 15 as the district authorities had earlier reported. He said it was not clear if the deaths were related to the strike.
Otaala explained that the strike was caused by the delay in disbursing funding from the British Department for International Development for health workers based in areas destabilised by LRA rebels. He said the allowances amounted to 30% of their salaries for six months and should have been paid in a lumpsum.
However, he added, all medical workers in the north had demanded the allowance, claiming they were also working under difficult conditions.
In a statement, permanent secretary Mary Nannono yesterday said the deaths occurred in the adult wards, and not in the maternity and children wards.
Emergency services, such as the maternity and surgical services, the statement added, were not cut off during the strike.
Nannono said the ministry had met Lira district officials, the hospital’s board and the Uganda Medical Workers Union officials to end the industrial action.
The UPDF medical team had been scheduled to travel to the hospital to take over treatment of the patients, said the army’s deputy director of health services, Dr. Samuel Lwanga.
and Ali Mao
THE Ministry of Health is to investigate the death of patients in Lira Hospital during the medical staff strike. State minister for health Dr. Emmanuel Otaala said appropriate action would be taken depending on the findings.
The strikers resumed work yesterday after the ministry assured them that their allowance would be paid. The workers had downed their tools to demand unpaid risk allowance for six months.
“We are now pursuing the funds for them,†Otaala said. He added that only seven patients died during the strike that stretched for six days, and not 15 as the district authorities had earlier reported. He said it was not clear if the deaths were related to the strike.
Otaala explained that the strike was caused by the delay in disbursing funding from the British Department for International Development for health workers based in areas destabilised by LRA rebels. He said the allowances amounted to 30% of their salaries for six months and should have been paid in a lumpsum.
However, he added, all medical workers in the north had demanded the allowance, claiming they were also working under difficult conditions.
In a statement, permanent secretary Mary Nannono yesterday said the deaths occurred in the adult wards, and not in the maternity and children wards.
Emergency services, such as the maternity and surgical services, the statement added, were not cut off during the strike.
Nannono said the ministry had met Lira district officials, the hospital’s board and the Uganda Medical Workers Union officials to end the industrial action.
The UPDF medical team had been scheduled to travel to the hospital to take over treatment of the patients, said the army’s deputy director of health services, Dr. Samuel Lwanga.