Driving schools ignore mandatory medical examination

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Alexander Mugula got his driving permit in 2009 after paying shillings 300,000 to an instructor at Ddembe Driving School. He says the instructor presented him with all the necessary paper work before he proceeded to the Inspectorate of vehicles for the mandatory tests, which he passed.

Mugula has been driving for the last ten years and has never been examined by a health professional as required by the Traffic and Road Safety (Driving Tests and Special Provisions for Drivers of Public Service Vehicles and Goods Vehicles) Regulations, 2012.

According to the regulation, for one to undergo a driving test, they must present a medical examination form completed by a registered medical practitioner. The practitioner is expected to check the physical fitness of the application and conduct eye examination to detect any medical conditions that may affect their ability to operate a vehicle.

Mugula is not alone. Other drivers that URN spoke to also noted that they were never examined before they received their driving permits. Rachel Abaliwano, a 26-year-old banker who got a driving permit in June, 2019, says she never interacted with any doctor.

“I gave my driving instructor money that covered everything. I was just told to go to Face technologies and pay Shillings 90,000 before to get my particular captures. I did not see a doctor,” she said. Aloysius Mugisha, another motorist says there is a lot of laxity when it comes to issuing permits.

He says getting a license is as easy as paying an agent.

Our reporter visited some driving schools in Kampala and discovered that they charge their clients for medical examinations but seldom carry out the tests. At driving schools such as Prestige Driving School in Kamwokya and Automobile Association of Uganda, medical examinations are only carried out if a customer reveals an existing medical condition.

At Ddembe driving school, no form is included. Robinah Namagembe, an administrator at Automobile Association of Uganda, says they carry out medical examination, whenever a customer requests for it. A fee of Shillings 620,000 is charged for three weeks of lessons.

“We have a doctor at Garden City where we send learners when they want to be tested. The testing money is part of the learning package,” Namagembe said. At Prestige Driving School, learners pay Shillings 636,000 for a minimum of three weeks driving lessons. Ruth Njoia, an administrator at the head office, says that doctors are called in when there is need.

“There are some questions we ask on a form. When a client reveals that they are sick, that is when we send them to a doctor for checkup. We even book the appointment for them,” she said. Bageya Waiswa, the Works Ministry Permanent Secretary, says medical tests are mandatory for all drivers.

He says drivers who have never gone through medical tests shouldn’t be on the roads because they are not competent enough.

Waiswa says there is need for the Law Enforcement Officers to reprimand all drivers that have never carried out medical examination. When asked how this would be implemented since forms are handed over when already signed by medical practitioners, he says Face Technologies should verify that the permits issued are credible.

Hajji Sulaiman Kirungi, the Acting Inspector of Vehicles, says that they cannot follow up on whether medical tests are taken or not because by the time they get into contact with the applicants their forms are already signed by a doctor.

“By the time the forms come to us, they have gone through Face technologies.  Before they go through Face technologies, driving schools get them. When we get the forms, the medical part is already approved and we cannot tell whether it is genuine or not,” Kirungi said.

Face Technologies declined to comment on the matter an instead referred our reporter to the Transport Licensing Board. Kharim Kibuuka, an Inspector at the Transport Licensing Board, says there’s little that they can do since they are not qualified to counter check the work of doctors.

“As far as we are concerned all first time drivers have to undergo a medical test. We are not doctors and cannot query what is written on medical forms and signed by doctors,” he said. Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, the president Uganda Medical Association, says the bodies involved in the issuance of permits should make sure that the medical forms are signed by professional doctors.

“Today we have all sorts of doctors in this country. Even herbalists and pharmacists call themselves doctors. But they are not. This is where you find unprofessional practices. We have a register of qualified and certified doctors. Let law enforcement agencies refer to that list before they issue driving permits,” Dr. Obuku said.

Research by Makerere University School of Public Health in 2018 shows that 9,000 deaths resulting from road accidents are reported annually in Uganda. According to the Health Ministry, many of the road accidents are caused by drivers who have never undergone a medical check.

While addressing journalists on September 30, 2019, Dr. Diana Atwine, the Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, said all drivers need to be examined medically. The ministry is proposing annual medical examinations for all motorists.

According to the 2018, Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 202 vehicle drivers were involved in more than 12,805 car crashes reported.

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