The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Medical interns have vowed to keep away from health centers due to lack of Personal Protective Equipment-PPE.
The Federation of Uganda Medical Interns-FUMA, notes that the prevailing working environment in government health facilities isn’t safe for medical interns, saying they would rather stay home instead of endangering their lives.
Dr. Herbert Luswata, the FAMU Welfare Chairperson says the interns have decided to stay home if they cannot be provided with PPE.
He says over half of the intern training centers are going to be affected by this decision.
Dr. Luswata says the health system is likely to be stripped of a very big workforce once the medical interns stay away.
“We have over 1,172 interns stationed at different hospitals now. Over 550 are doctors. These people provide 60 percent of the services offered at any hospital. They are the first person a patient sees before they are referred to a doctor,” Dr. Luswata said.
Last week, the Health Ministry said that due to PPE shortage, the ministry can only provide protective materials to medical workers that are in direct contact with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases.
However, Uganda Medical Association-UMA will not have any of this saying this is like sending soldiers to a frontline without weapons.
Dr. Joel Mirembe, the Secretary of UMA says that gov’t should liquidate some of the donations that it has so that they can get funds to support the production of PPE locally.
The interns also want government to give priority to other health conditions that are more harmful to humans compared to COVID-19.
“We have expectant mothers dying every day. Malaria is still killing Ugandans but COVID-19 hasn’t killed anyone yet. And the health ministry has applauded this. Can the other conditions that are a danger be prioritised?” he asked.
Recently, the Health Ministry cancelled the planned mass yellow fever vaccination campaign despite the fact that it already claimed four people. The ministry also cancelled the mass mosquito net distribution campaign yet over 70,000 Ugandans succumb to malaria annually.
Uganda has 54 confirmed Covid-19 cases. The Health Ministry has so far released four patients that have recovered and plans to release another 14 this week. No death has been reported so far.
*****
URN
