The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has said that the year has seen an increasing number of individuals masquerading as health workers which endangers the lives of unsuspecting people seeking health services.
Speaking to URN in an interview, Dr Herbert Luswata, the association president said while this year has seen health workers’ welfare being improved with several promotions happening, they have also received a high number of complaints of lower cadre health workers posturing as doctors.
Warning that this illegal practice is common in lower health facilities, the doctor explains that they have had cases of orthopaedic officers who are supposed to offer first aid and other outpatient care services taking patients to theatre for major surgeries endangering their lives in the name of treating them.
While the medical association has a disciplinary committee that resolves ethical issues that may arise among members, Luswata says they can only report such cases to the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council or the State House Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) which has powers to enforce when medical workers engage in illegal practice.
Earlier in the year, HMU made orders for several arrests of health workers engaging in illegal practice but the medical association says these authorities need to do more surveillance to ensure quacks are rooted out.
Dr Wilberforce Kabweru, the Chairperson of the association’s Ethics and Professionalism and Disciplinary Committee who was delivering his end-of-year message to health workers, urged them to attend to their duties while emphasizing proper medical documentation, especially the informed consenting process, ensuring confidentiality and maintaining privacy to avert rampant litigation and other penalties.
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