Organized absenteeism hindering health services – State House
An aerial view of a section of Kabale City. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Some health workers claim walking long distances to their work stations is the main problem especially in the rugged terrain of Kabale District.
The state house health monitoring unit has said “organized absenteeism is the main vice hindering health service delivery in Kabale District.”
“Organized absenteeism is a form of corruption that must be dealt with. Some health workers have conditioned the patients that there is no working after lunch and on weekends. This a big offence that must be stopped because health workers are paid to work fulltime,” State House health monitoring unit chief Dr Brian Arinitwe told journalists.
Dr Arinitwe echoed warnings for health workers across the country.
“Next time we shall arrest and prosecute the offenders. Government is paying better salaries to health workers to offer timely and daily health services,” Dr Arinitwe stated as he revealed findings of the Unit over the last ten days.
He also asked in-charges of three health center III to write apologies for “demonstrating the highest degree of organized absenteeism.”
The State House team further confirmed arrests of two health workers they accused of “failing to account for drugs they allegedly received in the government facilities.”
On May 25, the State House health monitoring unit started investigations over shoddy works at the newly constructed Kasheregyenyi health center III in Kabale District.
“There was no value for money. So, why was the contractor fully paid?” a member of the Unit wondered before journalists in a press briefing.
The acting Kabale District Health Officer Mr Alfred Besigensi admitted that authorities were aware of the organized absenteeism and we have always warned some culprits.
“Some health workers claim walking long distances to their work stations is the main problem especially in the rugged terrain of Kabale District,” he said.
Mr Besigensi appealed to the Unit to front demands of health workers to improve service delivery.
“Some of the health workers have always appealed to the government for salary issues and to consider constructing staff houses at every health facility so that they can timely offer health services,” Mr Besigensi remarked.
