Doctors to Museveni: Thank you, but we want better pay

The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has asked President Museveni to translate his appreciation of their service into their pockets.
The UMA secretary general, Dr Mukuzi Muhereza, yesterday told Daily Monitor that government was paying Shs80,000 per day to both nurses and doctors as an allowance yet they are at the frontline in the battle against the deadly Covid-19.
“Nurses and auxiliary staff were comfortable but it was like a slap in the face of doctors. It was very little compared to qualification and the payment in the region,” Dr Muhereza said in an interview.
On average, Dr Muhereza said they should earn at least Shs500,000 per day in isolation centres.
He said their demand for a better pay has not been achieved and they continue to receive peanuts in the face of limited equipment to work with and the risks involved.
According to Dr Muhereza, they want the President to increase their salaries to at least Shs40 million a month for senior consultants, whose pay was recently revised to Shs7 million.
He said most of the medical specialties have been forced to work outside the country because of low motivation.
“It is a big issue. Shs80,000 is like an insult. Then add the risk being that you are the one handling patients who are very infectious. That pride if it doesn’t translate into the pockets means nothing,” Dr Muhereza said.
He gave an example that although the country has graduated 52 anaesthetists, only eight are within the country with four working in the government facilities.
“That is a course you will not want to do. You will go in theatre first and you will be the last to leave. Surgeons will come and cut what they want to cut and leave the patient with the anaesthesia. You will not leave the theatre until your patient stabilises. It’s a thankless job. Those in private sector are moving from hospital to hospital. Those who can’t do anything like that have run away,” Dr Muhereza added.
Dr Muhereza said they had petitioned the Ministry of Health to revise the allowance being paid to those treating Covid-19 patients to at least Shs500,000 a day.
“We are negotiating. We brought the issue to Ministry of Health and said they were going to talk to Ministry of Finance and Public Service because the rates were issued by Public Service,” he said.
He added: “Saying thank you is okay. But if you don’t move towards implementation, you are just verbal. We wanted senior consultants to earn Shs40 million. Guess what they got, about Shs7 million. A senior consultant is at the level of a Supreme Court judge.”
On Tuesday, President Museveni thanked the medics for their effort in the fight against coronavirus.
He said of the 79 confirmed cases in the country, 52 had healed after treatment.
“I am told those still in hospital are in good condition. Our medical workers are very skilled and knowledgeable. I am proud of them. They are capable people,” Mr Museveni said.
President Museveni has in the previous addresses narrated his frustrations in lobbying to have scientists paid better and used the current situation facing the country such as locust invasion, the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising water levels on Lake Victoria to canvass support from the public to appreciate their relevance above their colleagues in the humanities.

President speaks to families

Meanwhile, President Museveni also asked couples to use the lockdown to bond and learn to live together as the country depends on strong families.

Mr Museveni said he will have a discussion with traditional and religious leaders to see how to strengthen families with core values.

“Lockdown is making families stay together. The situation has forced husbands and wives to live together. You can’t have a country without families. Having strong families is part of building a strong country,” he said, adding: “Whatever issues you have among adults should never affect the children. If the children are sheltered and protected, I think we shall have strong family.”

[email protected]