Kayunga medical staff demand IGG intervention over delayed promotions

A section of long-serving medical staff at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital have asked the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to investigate a “selective system of promotions of workers."

The aggrieved medical staff at the health facility in Kayunga District told Monitor on Tuesday that many of them have worked at the facility for more than 20 years and were due for promotion.

“When the hospital was elevated to a regional referral status, we thought our prayers for getting promoted had come but we were informed that they cannot promote us because there was no wage bill,” said their leader Dr Francis Kakooza who also formally served as an acting medical superintendent at the facility.

“However, to our surprise, most of the posts have been filled with newly promoted external staff who have filled our posts (for old

staff). We wonder where the wage bill to pay them will come from,” Dr Kakooza, worker at the hospital for over 10 years.

He has since joined Kayunga District Local Government saying “the working environment at Kayunga Hospital does not give hope.”

By working for the Local Government, a medical worker is supervised by the district and can only be transferred within that particular district- unlike when a civil servant is under the central government when he or she can be transferred to work in any part of the country, authorities indicate.

“Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital is now controlled by the central government. We want the IGG to intervene in this matter and save us from this unfairness,” another senior female medical worker who preferred anonymity told this publication.

Monitor has learnt that last year, the Health Service Commission (HSC) carried out a validation exercise of all old staff at the 50-year-old hospital in preparation for transfer into the elevated regional referral hospital with a promise for promotion.

More medical staff who spoke to this reporter said they are instead being “unfairly and maliciously transferred to distant health facilities in Moroto, Gulu and Nebbi districts.”

“Medical workers with qualifications should be promoted because if it is not done, it demoralizes us. If they think we don’t qualify, we should be told so and what we should do to overcome this challenge,” another male medical worker said as he voiced anger.

A male medical staff who said he had worked at the facility for 25 years complained that any staff who questions the manner in which the current authorities work is labeled a “rebel and recommended for a transfer to distant locations.”

On Tuesday, Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital Director Dr Robert Ssentongo dismissed all the allegations, explaining that all promotions of medical staff are carried out by the HSC.

“We don’t determine who should be promoted or not. Ssentongo does not deploy or even sack any staff,” Dr Ssentongo said amid laughter.

He added: “The control of this facility is at the centre and whoever they deploy here is whom I work with.”

Emmanuel Ainebyona, the ministry of health spokesperson told monitor that medical workers at the hospital can be transferred to any part of the country since they are civil workers.

“Promotions are only carried out when resources are available but recently we have not had many promotions because we lack a wage bill,” he added.

Louis Muhindo, the Kayunga Regional Hospital Principal Administrator last week decried staff shortages in the facility’s crucial units like the intensive care unit, the accident and emergency, private wing, physiotherapy unit, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) which are not operational.