Health staff recruitment to be based on performance

Kampala

As part of a strategy to improve healthcare service delivery, the government is to recruit medical superintendents on
performance contracts.

This is aimed at improving staff retention in remote areas and increasing the number of health workers in priority areas.
The recruitment, which starts in July, is being run under a World Bank funded scheme, where the Ministry of Health has
identified 180 health workers.

Ms Rukia Nakamatte, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said 23 medical superintendents are pursuing master’s in hospital
management degrees at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi, while another 18 doctors who were heading Health Centre IVs are
pursuing advanced diplomas in health service management. “Plans are underway to advertise the second batch of courses for
health workers under the hard-to-reach priority courses scheme for the academic year starting 2013/14 to improve staff
retention in the hard-to-reach areas.”

Health workers, who have been serving as heads of general hospitals and health centers IV-II have been enrolling for a
master’s in hospital management and an advanced diploma in health services management at Nkozi. Most up-country health
facilities are in a deplorable state with rampant shortage of drugs, water and electricity. In some cases, the absence of
qualified health workers force security guards to run the show.

Ms Nakamatte said the second batch of scholarships targeting 180 health workers will be advertised soon. Some 78 health
workers will be trained in various courses targeting those in hard-to-reach areas and 102 health workers in priority
courses starting 2012/13 financial year.

sotage@ug.nationmedia.com