The government plans to hire up to 700 health workers to handle COVID-19 cases at the various public health facilities across the country.
Prof. Pius Okong, the Chairperson of the Health Service Commission says that the Ministry of Health has already written to the Ministry of Public Service requesting clearance to fill the gap.
Prof. Pius on Covid-19;….
Okong says if approved, the number of health workers to handle patients will rise to over a thousand since they had hired slightly more than 300 personnel during the first wave of infection.
However Dr Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health had issued an appeal to health workers through the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) for health workers that are not employed by the government to come in and volunteer.
Asked about how far this appeal has gone, Dr Muhereza Mukuzi, the UMA General Secretary said while they acknowledge the huge need, it was a tough call for health workers since even as they volunteer, they need lunch allowances, transport and Personal Protective Equipment which of late has been scarce even for health workers that are paid. END
