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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has tasked the government to intervene in the ongoing strike by Butabika Mental Referral Hospital medical workers and support staff.
The Nakawa East MP, Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo on Wednesday raised a matter of national importance regarding a strike by the hospital staff which started on 20th September due to the absence of enough security. The hospital is Uganda’s referral for mentally ill patients and it treats about 7,000 inpatient and 30,000 outpatient mental health cases annually.
“I am rising on a point of urgent public importance. On 20th September, medical workers and support staff of Butabika hospital went on strike, this paralyzed operations of the facility and also caused inconvenience to the facility users…particularly the mentally challenged patients,” Balimwezo said in part.
He noted that the medics and support staff at the facility laid down their tools due to lack of enough security within the facility. Balimwezo said that the hospital is operating at less than 40 percent security on top of the absence of enough medicine for patients.
The MP demanded that government provides adequate security so that medical staff works in a favourable condition.
The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah said that the government needs to intervene to enable medical workers carry on with their duties.
Lukia Nakadama, the third Deputy Prime Minister said that she had noted the matter and the Minister of Security should work with the Minister of Health to assess the situation and immediately find solutions.
Oulanyah said the matter needs urgent action so that the hospital returns to normalcy.
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