By Emmanuel Ainebyoona
Medical doctors under Uganda Medical Association have voted to lay down their tools in all public hospitals on November 6 if government does not respond to their demands.
At a stormy extraordinary meeting held at Mulago on Monday, doctors also voted to adopt a proposed salaries and allowances structure for all medical workers.
Although, the doctors had voted to commence the strike immediately, Prof Francis Omaswa of the Medical elder’s forum and Workers Member of Parliament Sam Lyomoki advised them be considerate before putting people’s lives in danger.
According to Dr Ekwaro Obuku, the association president, the health workers are demanding for enhanced allowances, including: overtime, housing, transport, medical risk and retention.
The doctors want government to review their salaries which will see an intern doctor earn Shs8.5million as opposed to Shs960,000 before tax.
They also want a teaching assistant to be paid Shs15million alongside a two bedroomed house and a 2.5cc vehicle.
According to their ambitious salary demands, a senior consultant doctor will be the highest paid health work with a gross salary of Shs35m minus allowances.
Currently, a senior consultant doctor earns about Shs3.4million, consultant Shs2.6m, Medical officer 1.1million.
The doctors also want the salaries for nurses and midwives enhanced to about Shs6.5million besides a 3 bedroomed house, 2.0cc vehicle and one domestic worker.
They are also calling for disbandment of the State House Health Monitoring Unit and replaced with empowered legally established health professional councils.
They are now set to consult with the Ministries of Health, Finance and Public Service this week to seek a consensus on the matter.
