We Shall Not Beg Any One, Because We Lose Nothing- Health Minister Ruth Aceng Hits Back At Striking Medical Workers
By Uganda Online
Kampala: The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has fired back at striking medical workers saying the government will not in any way try to negotiate with them on their ongoing strike.
According to Aceng, interns who are not interested in “working” should go ahead and vacate hospital premises, same as those who are interested in joining them.
“We must take note that internship is a training period, it is not work and they are not public servants, so they are free to take a decision not to train it is up to them because if they don’t train, they will delay their registration period to become medical workers,” Dr. Aceng said.
“They stand to lose; it is them not us. We do not lose anything when someone does not train. My advice to them is to stop misbehaving,” Aceng added.
According to Dr. Aceng, everything that was demanded by the interns was committed to by the government and is in the pipeline.
“The supplementary they asked for has passed through the process and will be wired to them when ready (maybe in a week’s time or so), so any normal human being should go and finish their internship, it is to their own advantage. Those who are not willing should leave our premises, they are doing nothing there,” she said.
“That is very unfortunate, the population are longing for services, they need to be treated. Now, these want to strike to paralyze services. For those who want to strike, let them continue.”she added.
Intern doctors went on strike on November 6, 2021, demanding payment of enhanced medical internship allowances.
