Medical interns return to work

The strike, which recently swelled to include laboratory technicians, has been a bone of contention between the government and health sector for weeks and has led to the disruption of health services in the country. 

Uganda Medical Association (UMA) and the Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) have called off the strike saying the government addressed some of their grievances and shown a willingness to address the rest.

Dr. Samuel Oledo, the UMA president, appealed to all striking medical workers to return to work and thereby suspend industrial action until further notice. 

“On December 22, we anonymously (sic) agreed to suspend the industrial action until May 1 as we engage the government to fulfil these (pending) issues,” Dr. Oledo said. 

Adding that, “In the same spirit, as head of the clinical discipline and head of patient care, we pass the communication to our dear nurses and medical lab, clinical officers and radiologists, starting midnight today, letting all workers be back at their places of work to give patients a great service. Our Christmas shall be in the hospitals.” 

However, in yet another twist, laboratory technicians and graduate nurses say they will stay the course of the strike and continue with their industrial action. 

Dr. Dennis Alibu, the general secretary of Uganda Medical Laboratory Technology Association, a medical body which consists of over 10,000 members, said UMA’s reach is exceeding its grasp by advising them on what to do. 

“If they (the doctors) have called off their strike, they should keep it to themselves under their umbrella. We are waiting for the government to call us for negotiation and then we will decide the next step,” Dr. Alibu said.