Health workers on the spot over poor time management

Patients seeking treatment at Muyembe Health Centre IV in Bulambuli District have accused health workers of reporting to work late and leaving early.
Ms Mary Naguti, one of the patients, told this publication that the health workers at the facility report to work at 10am and leave before 2pm.
“It has become a habit for health workers to report late to work and then leave early at this facility,” she said.

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She added that this is why many people self-medication.
Another patient, Mr Mike Wandero, said: “There is no service delivery here because health workers have slackened on time management and absenteeism is rampant.” 

Mr Dennis Wanyoro, a resident and youth leader, said the most affected communities are those from hard-to-reach areas.
“There is a lot of suffering because people don’t access quality health care as health workers absent themselves from duty which remains a serious concern,” Mr Wanyoro said.
The hard-to-reach sub-counties  include Bumasogo, Buluganya, Bugisinyaka and Bumasoka.

The deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Amir Kamba, visited the facility at around 1.30pm pretending to be sick and seeking treatment last week but to his dismay, he was turned away together with other patients who had lined up hoping to be attended to.
“I had received numerous reports of health workers reporting late and leaving early in several health facilities but to my disappointment, l proved the disastrous act at the facility when I was turned way,” Mr Kamba said.
 Mr Kamba said he ordered the arrest of two health workers, Mr Jonathan Wangwe and Ms Basi Nakusi, for negligence of duty.
“Mr Wangwe was arrested for refusing to attend to patients by 1.30pm after he told them to go away that it was late,” Mr Kamba, said.
He directed the Chief Administrative Officer to take punitive action against health workers who absent themselves from duty station.

 “I will take action against the errant health workers by all means. With what I have personally seen on the ground, it is sad! And I promise to take tough actions,” he said.
The Bulambuli District Health Officer, Dr Vicent Natega, said they will take disciplinary action against the two officers.
“The continued absenteeism is unprofessional, indiscipline and behavior that is totally unacceptable and must be stopped with immediate effect,” he said.

About the facility
Muyembe Health Centre IV serves three sub-counties including, Bulambuli Town Council, Bulegeni and Muyembe, with a catchment population of between 250.000 - 300,000 including Kapchorwa. The district has 26 health facilities.