A total of 60,000 allied health workers working in government facilities have gone on strike, demanding fulfillment of a pledge for salary increment.
The health workers under their umbrella body Uganda Allied Health Professionals’ Associations,announced their strike after reportedly giving government an ultimatum of 21 working days to look into their demands.
They say, the government promised to better their pay in 2017/18 financial year following a collective bargaining Agreement various workers’ Unions.
The agreement provides for Certificate holders to earn Shillings 1.3 million up from the current Shillings 300,000, Diploma holders 3 million while Degree holders want Shillings 4.8 million slightly lower than an entry-level doctor.
The government also resolved to increase those under U4, 3, 2, 1 leaving out those on the salary scale U5 and below where they belong.
Patrick Dennis Alibu, the Chairperson of the Uganda Allied Health Professionals’ Associations who doubles as Secretary-General of the Uganda Medical Laboratory Technology Association, says their 21 days ultimatum has elapsed without response.
Alibu says it is unfair for the government to under look their relevance, yet they contribute 80% to the country’s health workforce.
“Since we have our colleagues, the medical officers and nurses around, we believe they will handle emergency services. Therefore all allied staff will stay away until we are called upon and our issues are handled considerebly,” he says
Alibu’s colleagues including Florence Aleziyo, the president of the psychiatric Clinical Officers Association, says the cost of living has increased and they cannot continue to work under the same arrangement while others get better pay.
’’ You go to the same market with the Ministers, Mp’s and doctors but we sleep hungry, our children are home, we rent but have no housing allowance, Government should come up and listen to our voices . We are not making noise because we need money, but the standard of living is very high,” she says
Alex Kachwano, the Secretary-General of Clinical Officers, says that the majority of their work is on the preventive side of the health profession, which should be the focus of the government as well.
“We are in the primary health care, we deal will prevention, but the government has turned it that curative medicine is prioritized more. our people are the custodians of such conditions at the lower level, and with prevention, we are cutting on the expenditure , If you prevent a disease from manifesting, you wont need oxygen,” he says
However, the Health Ministry Spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyona says they have never received any formal complaint from the alliance.
Allied Health Workers comprise of laboratory technicians, pharmacists, clinical officers, radiographers, dentists, medical records officers, anaesthetic officers, occupational therapists, environmental health officers, counsellors and dentists among others.
This strike comes as science secondary school teachers under their umbrella organization, Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union started striking in May 9 over government’s failure to increase their salaries.
