MPs reiterate call to recruit more health workers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Health Committee has reiterated the call to recruit health workers at all levels of health facilities saying that whereas government has invested in hardware components within the healthcare delivery system, less attention has been given to critical human resource.

This was contained in the Committee’s Report on the Ministerial Policy Statement and budget estimates for the health sector for the financial year 2024/2025 that was presented by the Chairperson, Charles Ayume during plenary sitting on Friday, 12 April 2024.

In the report, the Committee applauded government for enhancing the wage bill to facilitate recruitment of critical staff at regional referral hospitals through provision of an additional Shs25.5 billion in the 2023/2024 financial year.

“However, the Committee was concerned that by close of the first half of the financial year 2023/2024, these funds had not been utilized,” the report read in part.

Ayume pointed out that the majority of the regional referral hospitals and general hospitals lacked key human resources, especially specialist cadres including consultants and medical officers, among others.

According to the old structure, the number of vacant positions are 913 and the committee has urged government to provide housing in order to attract and retain some cadre staff especially in hard to reach areas.

“Government should ensure that adequate financing is provided to fill the vacant positions in all health facilities in a phased manner beginning with those with less than 50 percent staffing levels and increasing progressively to at a minimum of 70 percent based on the old staff norms,” the report read in part.

Speaker, Anita Among, agreed with the committee, stating that failure to recruit staff will render equipment redundant, hence wastage of resources.

“We need adequate staffing to ensure equipments are working because if you have the equipment redundant, it is another cost,” she said.

The Chief Opposition Whip, John Baptist Nambeshe, said that failure to utilise the wage bill yet the health facilities are under staffed is unacceptable.

“This is a great concern which this House should condemn in the strongest terms possible,” Nambeshe said.

The Committee also noted that a number of critical diagnostic equipment procured by government continue to remain non-functional arising out of minor faults that would be repaired and serviced through regional equipment workshops.

“The Committee reiterates the earlier recommendation that Shs12.3 billion required to fully functionalise regional equipment maintenance workshops should be provided in a phased manner starting with Shs6 billion in 2024/2025 financial year,” read the report in part.

To improve the ambulance systems in the country following distribution of 116 new ambulances in the 2023/2024 financial year, the committee called for allocation of Shs12.8 billion to the Ministry of Health to establish the National Ambulance System in a phased manner.

“Ministry of Health be provided with an additional Shs17 billion to enable it maintain and functionalise the current fleet of ambulances under the emergency services department,” Ayume added.

The Committee also recommended that the Ministry of Health should be provided with Shs54 billion to procure 158 ambulances for constituencies that have not been allocated any ambulances.

Overall, the committee recommended that Parliament approves Shs2.7 trillion for the health sub sector in the 2024/2025 financial year.

“In line with government’s commitment to preventive health care as opposed to curative services which are costly, more emphasis should be on ensuring equitable access to well-equipped health facilities, trained and motivated health workers in addition to improvement in the health care delivery system,” said Ayume.

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SOURCE: Uganda Parliament