Ugandan doctors boo PM Rugunda, start strike
The Uganda Medical Association president Dr Ekwaro Obuku gestures at doctors to calm down as they booed Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who was addressing them during the meeting. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
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Earlier, the charged doctors in a full packed Davis Lecture Theatre at Mulago National Referral Hospital had wanted their Agenda amended not to allow Dr Rugunda to address them. He spoke only after Dr Obuku convinced them to listen to him amidst booing.
Ugandan doctors under their umbrella body, Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have laid down their tools after government failed to respond to their grievances.
The UMA president Dr Ekwaro Obuku told medical doctors that the strike had started at midnight and will only be called off if government answers their demands.
“We love and care for our patients and hope the supplies improve to make our work better,” Dr Obuku said as he led the doctors to the implementation of the industrial action.
The UMA general secretary, Dr Mukuzi Muhereza said all out patients (OPD) CARE will be closed, including all routine non-emergency clinics like diabetes, HIV and antenatal.
“During this period, our main target is to show our displeasure on the payment and the working condition that we subjected to by our employer, the government of Uganda,” Dr Muhereza said.
Not even the presence of Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda could convince doctors to call off strike which started on October 9, a day that Uganda got its independence.
Earlier, the charged doctors in a full packed Davis Lecture Theatre at Mulago National Referral Hospital had wanted their Agenda amended not to allow Dr Rugunda to address them. He spoke only after Dr Obuku convinced them to listen to him amidst booing.
The meeting yielded no results prompting Mr Rugunda to leave.
