Doctors demand redeployment of Covid19 frontliners in 30 days

By Elizabeth Ankunda

17^th June 2022

Medical doctors under their umbrella, the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have given government an ultimatum of one month to redeploy over 500 Covid19 frontline health workers to covid-19 Intensive Care Units.

The demand is coming amid rising numbers of Covid-19 infections in the country with nine deaths and ninety eight new cases of the pandemic recorded by the ministry of Health in the last two weeks.

The workers were terminated on March 30 when they were still demanding their salary arrears amid the decline in Covid-19 cases in hospitals and early this week they committed themselves to returning to work if the government gives them permanent employment.

UMA President Sam Odongo while addressing journalists at Mulago Guest House this Friday said if the government fails to respond positively to their appeal, they are ready to mobilize themselves from all over the country and walk to the statehouse and parliament to show their dissatisfaction.

Odongo also reminded the Ministry of Health about President Museveni’s directive of having all covid-19 health workers back to duty at their work stations.

He accuses the Health Ministry of ignoring the presidential directive and refusing to release Shs30b that are supposed to cater for emolument of health workers with specialists earning Shs10m from Shs6m.

Odongo however expressed his sadness that covid-19 patients are now treated at Mulago hospital in Ward 14 mixed with non covid-19 patients which is dangerous and could spark the speedy spread of the pandemic.