Health minister summoned over delayed payment of COVID-19 health personnel

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has directed the Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng to explain the delayed payment of 300 frontline health personnel deployed to fight coronavirus Disease.

Kadaga’s directive followed a query by Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye who cited the non-payment of personnel constituted in different teams by the Ministry of Health after the outbreak of the disease.

He said that the different teams comprising laboratory attendants, drivers and others that started work in January 2020 have not been paid to date. Mwijukye says that the workers are threatening to lay down their tools.

Kadaga noted that Parliament recently provided the Ministry of Health with a supplementary budget of over 140 billion Shillings to fight the coronavirus pandemic. She said that the Minister would be expected to explain how the money was expended and why there has been a delay in the payment of the personnel.

Uganda has so far registered 55 cases of coronavirus. 12 of these have since recovered from the deadly virus and discharged from hospitals.

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