Cleaners’ strike leaves Mulago stinking
Mar 29, 2010
ABOUT 240 Mulago Hospital cleaners went on strike yesterday, sending staff and patients into panic as garbage piled up and the stench became intolerable.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
ABOUT 240 Mulago Hospital cleaners went on strike yesterday, sending staff and patients into panic as garbage piled up and the stench became intolerable.
The workers, employed by Safi Cleaners, said they had not been paid for two months, yet the company’s contract at the hospital is expiring tomorrow.
The workers abandoned the wards and booed senior colleagues who wanted to persuade them to return to work.
They rejected a request by the hospital’s head, Dr. Edward Ddumba, to continue working until the matter is sorted out. The company demands four months in arrears from Mulago.
Ddumba said he had asked the company to convince their workers to resume work, promising to clear their arrears next month.
“Because of the critical nature of the cleaners in this hospital and in the spirit of cooperation, we have resolved that Safi Cleaners continues with cleaning the hospital until March 31 when Norema Cleaning Services takes over,†Ddumba said in a letter yesterday.
He added that the hospital would endeavour to pay all the outstanding arrears as soon as possible. Paul Ddamba, one of the workers, said the new contractor had refused to take over the workers of Safi Cleaners.
“We get sh60,000 per month and we have not received pay for the last two months yet they are going to terminate our services,†he said.
“If they become adamant, we shall pick human body parts they throw in the bins and dump them in the wards,†a worker shouted. Some workers said they were windows who had family responsibilities.
“My landlord has threatened to throw me out by the end of this month. Where do they expect me to get money when I stay here working the whole day?†one woman said.
The manager of Safi Cleaners in Mulago Hospital, Deo Mucunguzi, said dirt was piling up in the hospital but he could not persuade his workers to end the strike as long as they were not paid.
“Patients and doctors and the entire staff have been complaining since Sunday night because the toilets have not been cleaned, garbage is uncollected and the entire condition is unbearable but there is nothing we can do,†he said. He added that the problem had been worsened by lack of water in the hospital.
ABOUT 240 Mulago Hospital cleaners went on strike yesterday, sending staff and patients into panic as garbage piled up and the stench became intolerable.
The workers, employed by Safi Cleaners, said they had not been paid for two months, yet the company’s contract at the hospital is expiring tomorrow.
The workers abandoned the wards and booed senior colleagues who wanted to persuade them to return to work.
They rejected a request by the hospital’s head, Dr. Edward Ddumba, to continue working until the matter is sorted out. The company demands four months in arrears from Mulago.
Ddumba said he had asked the company to convince their workers to resume work, promising to clear their arrears next month.
“Because of the critical nature of the cleaners in this hospital and in the spirit of cooperation, we have resolved that Safi Cleaners continues with cleaning the hospital until March 31 when Norema Cleaning Services takes over,†Ddumba said in a letter yesterday.
He added that the hospital would endeavour to pay all the outstanding arrears as soon as possible. Paul Ddamba, one of the workers, said the new contractor had refused to take over the workers of Safi Cleaners.
“We get sh60,000 per month and we have not received pay for the last two months yet they are going to terminate our services,†he said.
“If they become adamant, we shall pick human body parts they throw in the bins and dump them in the wards,†a worker shouted. Some workers said they were windows who had family responsibilities.
“My landlord has threatened to throw me out by the end of this month. Where do they expect me to get money when I stay here working the whole day?†one woman said.
The manager of Safi Cleaners in Mulago Hospital, Deo Mucunguzi, said dirt was piling up in the hospital but he could not persuade his workers to end the strike as long as they were not paid.
“Patients and doctors and the entire staff have been complaining since Sunday night because the toilets have not been cleaned, garbage is uncollected and the entire condition is unbearable but there is nothing we can do,†he said. He added that the problem had been worsened by lack of water in the hospital.