Medical practitioners under their body of “Uganda Medical Association-UMA,” want government to stop wasting money on the infamous campaign to lift presidential age limit and instead focus on providing medical supplies.
Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, the president Uganda Medical Association, says if government can manage 20 million shillings for each MP to consult on the infamous Bill, how can it fail to increase their salaries, and provide medical supplies in government owned hospitals.
He was speaking during an assembly that led to a resolution of giving government a 30 day's notice to address their demands or else they lay down their tools.
The medics unanimously resolved at their general assembly held at Makerere University College of Health Science on Independence Day to lay down their tools on November 6th should government fail to meet their demands.
Dr. Obuku added that if government can buy teargas to use on opposition activists, how can it fail to buy gas needed in hospitals to save lives?
“If government can find money to facilitate the age limit consultations, purchase teargas, bullets and patrol vehicles, it should find money to buy medicine and increase our pay” he said.
Uganda Medical Association brings together more than 6000 medical doctors both in public and private health facilities.
Key of the demands the doctors want government to address are the immediate increase of the pay and duty allowances of all health professionals, review of the supply chain and management of medicines, vaccines and medical supplies and as well as the disbanding of the "notorious Health Monitoring Unit."
"There has been "chronic shortage of medicines, vaccinations and medical supplies at all hospitals in the country in the past 6months, causing preventable and unnecessary deaths of Ugandans."
They also accuse Resident District Commissioners and the State House Health Monitoring Unit of waging a war characterized with impunity and extra judicial practices against health practitioners.
The highest paid medical officer in Uganda is a senior consultant or professor who receives Shillings 3.4 million and allowances amounting to Shillings 477, 500.
In intern medical doctor at the rank of junior house officer is the lowest paid officer. The junior house officer earns Shillings 960,000 as basic salary.
Uganda Medical Association is proposing an increment of the salary of a senior consultant to Shillings 35.4 million and allowances to Shillings 9.8 million, which would bring their pay to Shillings 45.2 million each month.
They also want the pay of an intern or junior house officer increased to Shillings 8.5 million. In addition, they want all medical doctors except interns to get houses and vehicles.
They are also demanding indirect benefits such as loans at not more than 5% interest rate, a tax free private vehicle as well as tax free house construction materials.