Health workers demand salaries, risk allowance

Medical workers under their umbrella body, the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), have demanded that government pay salaries and risk allowances for health workers, who were contracted to work in Covid-19 wards.

Dr Richard Idro, the UMA president, yesterday said for at least a period of two months, the health workers have not received their salaries and risk allowances yet they are working under stressful conditions given the over stretched health facilities.

“Health workers, who are treating Covid-19 patients, already work under very stressful conditions and they are even removed from their families to avoid spread of infection. Therefore, their salaries and allowances should be paid promptly at the end of every month,” Dr Idro said.
However, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, said the health workers were paid all their salaries and allowances.

 Mr Ainebyoona asked all the health workers who might not have received their money to cross check with their supervisors and banks.
This comes at a time when the country is in stage four of the pandemic with a widespread community infections that has seen more than 1,566 health workers infected and at least 14 dead.

Doctors have asked government to impose a festive season lockdown if the public consistently fails to adhere to Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPS), meant to curb the spread of the pandemic, especially in villages where some of the vulnerable population are.
“We know Ugandans, they are going to hit the road however much they say please don’t. Once the pandemic moves from Kampala to the villages then it will come back and hit us,” Dr Frank Asiimwe, the UMA chief of welfare, said.

Currently, High Dependency Units (HDUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are full to capacity and Covid-19 patients seeking beds in hospitals have to wait for one to die or recover to get a bed, according to health workers.
UMA states that one of the major possible contributors to the rising Covid-19 infections are the campaigns that are happening without following SOPs.

Health workers also say they are still faced with a problem of inadequate personal protective equipment (PPEs) which leaves them at risk of getting the disease.
Dr Idro said as the numbers increase the PPE situation is becoming even worse in some of the health units, which hinders health workers from attending to a patient as many times as possible.

“You cannot wear PPEs for more than 45 minutes. Some of the health workers are getting infected, are over stretched, tired, and the PPEs are inadequate. If I have to repeat the same mask which I put on several times, it increases my risk of getting Covid,” Dr Idro said.
Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) has asked government to also supply PPEs to health workers, who ensure continuation of basic health services.
However, the Ministry of Health says the country has enough PPEs at the moment.