Minister wants Bukedea doctor fired
Affected. Health Centre IV in Bukedea District. PHOTO BY SIMON PETER EMWAMU
What you need to know:
Crossfire. The call for Dr Julius Oselle’s dismissal follows patients’ complaints of absenteeism. He, however, says as a surgeon, he cannot start operating on patients “under trees” because the theatre is incomplete.
BUKEDEA. State minister for Ethics and Integrity, Simon Lokodo, has ordered Bukedea District chief administrative officer (CAO) to terminate services of Dr Julius Oselle after patients and political figures complained that he is always away from duty at Bukedea Health Centre IV.
Mr Lokodo, who has pitched camp in Teso on the invitation of Teso Anti-corruption Coalition (TAC) on a fact-finding mission over alleged obstruction of service delivery in the sub-region by civil servants, was touched after patients at Bukedea Health Centre IV on Monday complained that their only hospital doctor is never present at the health facility.
The minister who was in the company of officials from ministry of Local Government, Auditor General’s Office and Inspectorate of Government, said ‘it is irresponsible for the CAO and the district to continue paying Dr Oselle who is not rendering due diligence for work.’
“I am going to write to the IGG with immediate effect to have this issue investigated as a matter of urgency,” Mr Lokodo explained.
He said the district health officer, Mr Stephen Ikodet, should also be held liable for allowing such an act to happen without notifying the CAO and the line ministry over the conduct of his staff.
Mr Ikodet, however, told the minister that Dr Oselle was away on leave, an explanation that the CAO, Mr Patrick Olila, contested saying he had not received any formal communication to that effect.
Mr Peter Eceru, the advocacy officer at TAC, said it is alleged that Dr Oselle has another job that he is doing and that could explain his absence from duty.
“On several inspections we have done, he is never in hospital,” he added.
Dr Oselle, when contacted by Daily Monitor, treated the accusation as “mere allegations”, adding that as a recruited surgeon for Bukedea Health Centre IV, he can’t start operating on patients “under trees” because the theatre is incomplete.
He explained that as a civil servant, his leave was due and that he wrote to the office of the DHO about him being away.
“Issues of Bukedea are not new, everything is being politicised. I am not alone who is being fought that way,” he said.
