BY Tom Mugisha, tom.mugisha@alleastafrica.com
KAMPALA: Medical workers in Uganda have voted to go on strike beginning November 6, if government does not increase their salaries.
At a meeting held in Kampala Tuesday in Kampala doctors also voted to adopt a new proposed salary and allowances structure for all medical workers.
Dr Ekwaro Obuku, the President of Uganda Medical Association which unites medical workers asked doctors to vote for the call industrial actions before the meeting unanimously agreed to his appeal.
“We have waited since 1996 and that is why we are saying enough is enough…it is not yet Uhuru (financial Independence) for medical doctors. So those who don’t want the strike should just enter their vehicles and drive away,” Dr Obuku said.
The doctors want government to review their monthly salaries which will see an intern doctor earn Shs8.5million from the current shs960, 000 before tax.
They also want a medical officer or a teaching assistant at Uganda’s medical school at the National Referral, Mulago to be paid shs15million and also given a two- bedroomed -house and a 2.5cc vehicle.
They also demand that a senior consultant doctor or a Professor be paid a gross salary of Shs35m minus allowances and five- bedroom house, 4.0cc vehicle and three domestic workers.
Currently, a senior consultant doctor earns about Shs3.4million, consultant 2.6m and a Medical officer gets 1.1million as a monthly salary.
The doctors also want the salaries for nurses and midwives enhanced to about 6.5million besides a 3 bedroomed house, 2.0cc vehicle and one domestic worker.
