Medical Union’s application hearing set for Friday

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Kampala High Court deputy registrar Sarah Langa Monday pushed to friday 24th the hearing of an application filed by Uganda Medical Union, seeking to bar the Uganda Medical Association , it’s Secretary General Dr. Ekwaro Obuku and Workers’ MP Dr. Sam Lyomoki, from holding negotiations with government regarding the socio- economic interests of health workers.

This is because the Attorney General who is one of the respondents in this case, has not yet filed government’s response.

In his affidavit, the Secretary General of Uganda medical Union Aggrey Sanya, said Uganda Medical Association has no authority or recognised structures to ably represent medical workers interests and therefore Government should immediately stop any planned meetings with its members.

Sanya added that unless court intervenes, further unsolicited misrepresentations by Dr. Ekwaro Obuku and Dr. Sam Lyomoki will jeopardise the already on-going negotiations between government and authorised institutions.

Sanya contends that the Union has a committee of members that are recognised by the Ministry of Gender Labour and social development who are in a better position to represent socio-economic interests of medical workers.

The union also seeks orders to gag Doctors Obuku and Lyomoki from making further pronouncements regarding the on-going medical worker’s strike, until court finally determines the main case in which the duo are accused of usurping the medical Union powers to call for what it terms as an illegal strike.

The Medical Workers’ strike sparked -off by low salaries and poor medical working conditions has now entered the third week leaving public hospitals across the country with only emergency care services.