Health workers in Uganda go on strike

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - At least 36,000 medical workers in Uganda under the Allied Health Professionals Association Alliance went on strike as of Monday evening in protest against unfavorable working conditions, including poor pay.

Speaking to reporters in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, the chairman of the alliance, Denis Alibu, said before launching the strike today, they had given a grace period of 21 days to the government but had not received any response so they had no alternative but to lay down their tools.

“The striking health workers include clinical officers, records officers, orthopaedics (physicians) and clinical psychiatrists. We are not going to report for duty until we talk to President (Yoweri) Museveni,” said Alibu.

They said the government raised the salaries of doctors, but to their dismay, they were discriminated against and their salaries were not increased as promised.

A few months ago, doctors in Uganda went on strike, demanding a pay increment, and the government increased their salary but left out other medical workers.