Health minister, AG sued for firing medical interns
Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, appears before Parliament yesterday. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Under their umbrella bodies—Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) and Uganda Medical Association (UMA)—together with Centre for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), the intern medics filed the case in the Kampala High Court yesterday.
Striking intern medics under their umbrella body have dragged the Health ministry’s top brass to court, challenging the legality of their dismissal from various hospitals.
Under their umbrella bodies—Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) and Uganda Medical Association (UMA)—together with Centre for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), the intern medics filed the case in the Kampala High Court yesterday.
The respondents in the case are Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Dr Henry Mwebesa, the director general of Health Services, and Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng. The interns also want the court to quash the government’s order that they vacate hospital premises by December 17 (today).
They want the court to issue “an injunction barring the respondent’s hospital directors and medical superintendents from implementing the irrational, arbitrary and high-handed decision and directive by the second respondent and Ministry of Health.”
In her sworn evidence to support their case, the FUMI president, Dr Faith Nabushawo, said the organisation—which provides a forum for medical intern doctors, graduate nurses, midwives, dental surgeons and pharmacists—went on a nationwide sit-down strike on May 17 to improve their working conditions.
“Pursuant to the said strike, the President, on June 1, met our leadership and UMA to which he directed that the pay for medical interns be enhanced to at least half of the recommended pay of their fully appointed officers in respective professional lines with effect from July 2021,” Dr Nabushawo explained.
She added: “Due to respondents’ failure to implement the directive of the President, our members resumed their nationwide sit-down strike on November 6 until the President’s directive that enhances their salaries is implemented.”
It’s against this background that FUMI took exception to Dr Mwebesa’s December 10 letter that directed all medical interns to vacate hospital premises where they are doing their internship.
Court documents show that, on December 13, FUMI and UMA unsuccessfully requested Dr Mwebesa to reconsider the directive.
The documents further state that FUMI and UMI members then peacefully marched to Parliament to deliver a petition to the Speaker Jacob Oulanyah on December 15. Many were arrested and charged with inciting violence.
On Monday, the Health minister ordered all medical interns who are on strike to vacate government hospitals where they are doing their internship.
Case
Through their lawyers—Rita Aceng Ogwang Advocates—the interns are seeking general, aggravated and punitive damages for alleged mental anguish as well as plight suffered in bodily form. The interns also contend that the decision to dismiss them constitutes a breach of their right to a fair hearing.
