Salary enhancement in public hospitals developed employment pressure – Church

By Ben Musanje

21^st March 2023

The Catholic Church’s Health Commission has expressed its worry over the changing operating environment that has placed employment pressure on the network.

Bishop Robert Muhiirwa, the Chairperson of the Uganda Episcopal Conference Health Commission says that the pressure majorly developed from the enhancement of salaries for healthcare workers in the public sector.

This was during his opening remarks at this year’s two days annual health assembly for the catholic health services in Uganda at Sharing Hall in Nsambya, Makindye division.

He further noted that the network experienced economic challenges which affected the cost of providing affordable and quality health services in the country during the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent Ebola Viral Disease outbreak.

Dr Sam Orach, the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau –UCMB Executive Secretary(middle) highlighted gaps recorded in all catholic church funded hospitals last year.

According to Dr Orach, the gaps include delayed payment of salaries due to expired contracts; unauthorized replacements of workers by human resource, failure to respect hierarchies and lack of advanced notice to religious leaders on changes in human resource.

He however recognized the braveness and ingenuity of the services of the health workers in the network during the series of outbreak and pandemic adding that the commission is prepared to help the Ministry of Health to fight any pandemic outbreak that could erupt in the country.