Covid-19: Gulu laboratory team on strike over pay
The Covid-19 laboratory team at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital has been on strike since Friday. File photo
KAMPALA/GULU- The Covid-19 laboratory team at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital on Friday laid down their tools for non-payment of their risk allowance for three months.
One of the members on the laboratory team who did not want to be named told Daily Monitor they had not been paid as per the Ministry of Health guidelines.
The laboratory team said the terms of paying risk allowance are unfair.
“We heard that the hospital will be using the team at the Elegu border for the meantime. The team got evidence that personnel was outsourced from Elegu border team to come and pick samples recently from the Covid-19 treatment facility....,” one of them said.
The hospital has discharged at least 93 Covid-19 patients after full recovery.
Gulu District chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi said they have been engaging the hospital leadership to have the matter resolved amicably.
“The hospital received Shs270m from the Ministry of Health plus the guidelines on how the money should be used and when issues of laying down tools start to come up, it means the budget has been exhausted and it has been a while since they sent money to the hospitals,” Mr Ojara said.
Dr James Elima, the hospital director, told Daily Monitor that they received money to pay staff for only 72 days yet the latter wanted to be paid for all the 90 days.
“The ministry sent allowance for only 72 days and we paid them but they are demanding for three months and that is indiscipline because they are staff of the hospital and the government will pay what is due to them,” Dr Elima said.
He added that the hospital has engaged them to get back to work, saying they are positive the negotiations will bear fruit.
Dr Elima revealed that they have requested for more funding but have not yet received any response from the Ministry of Health.
Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior public relations officer at the Ministry of Health, said additional funds will be provided at the request of the hospital and once it provides accountability for the earlier advanced funds.
