Uganda Medical Association asks gov't to recruit more doctors
Mar 20, 2019
Through their president, Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, the medics said at the moment there is a deficit of 1,000 doctors including 600 specialists.
Medics under their umbrella association Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have called for the recruitment of more specialists in government health facilities.
Through their president, Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, the medics said at the moment there is a deficit of 1,000 doctors including 600 specialists.
Addressing the press at Mulago Hospital's guesthouse, Obuku revealed that although the government had increased doctors salaries, there is still need to rationalise it, noting that currently, a senior consultant in Mulago earns (sh4.5m) far less than the sh9.1m earned by a medical professor at Makerere University per month.
He noted that because of this disparity, specialist doctors in Lira Reginal Referral Hospital have opted to abandon the facility for Lira University because of the good pay.
The members of the association also petitioned President Yoweri Museveni and the Speaker of Parliament on the proposed expansion of specialised health services in Uganda.
The doctors argued that instead of approving a loan of sh1.3trillion for the proposed project, the government should use the money to complete the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Mulago Hospital including the Uganda Cancer Institute and the Heart Institute.
The medics said the works are delaying the placement of 42 trained super-specialized doctors.
On March 12 this year, Parliament approved a $379m (about sh1.4 trillion) loan for the construction of an international specialised hospital in Lubowa, Wakiso district, which upon completion is expected to treat some of the conditions for which Ugandans have been traveling abroad such as cancer and organ transplant.
The specialists through government funding received super-specialist training in India in Oncology, surgery, Liver transplant, renal transplant, spine surgery, nephrology and neurovascular surgery among others.
One of the beneficiaries, Dr. Gideon Rukundo, the head of minimal access department at Mulago appealed to the government to complete Mulago Hospital rehabilitation.
Other doctors trained include Emmanuel Elobu, Racheal Ayikoru, Vivian Akello, Gideon Kurigamba, Lois Asiimwe, Micheal Okello, Saul Kagwa, Vianney Kweyamba, Olivia Kituuka, Phillipa Ampaire, Nick Okwi, Victo Nassaka ,Jimmy Odaga, Ian Asiimwe, Robert Masereka, Rodney Mugarura, Naome Amuron, Esther Nakandha, Clara Odiambo and Aggrey Lubikire among others