Premier Issues Stern Warning to Midwives on Absenteeism

The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has warned of stern disciplinary action against midwives and other health practitioners in the country who abscond from duty. 

Nabbanja says, absenteeism among health workers in the country is becoming a big concern hence compromising sufficient health care service delivery to Ugandans. 

While Presiding over the International Day of the Midwife at Hoima Boma grounds in Hoima city on Monday, Nabbanja stated that despite enhancing the payments of health workers across the country, midwives, nurses and other health practitioners have continued to abscond from duty. 

According to Nabbanja, health workers who abscond from duty are putting the lives of patients at risk stating that, those who are not committed to serving Ugandans should be investigated and prosecuted accordingly.

She says the absence of health workers from health facilities affects appropriate service delivery and exerts immense pressure on the few who are ready to work compelling some of them to work beyond the recommended hours.

Nabbanja states that, her office had received several complaints from the public that health midwives and other health workers across the country have developed a tendency of absenting themselves from duty without official leave, which she says cripples sufficient health service delivery to the people. 

Nabbanja says, government is committed to enhancing further the salary of the midwives and other health workers across the country given the critical work they are executing to the country. 

Annet Everlyne Kanyunyuzi, the President of the National Midwives Association of Uganda noted that lack of promotion and delayed appointments of midwives remains a big stumbling block to their operations.

She too demands that midwives should be involved in critical decision making especially in the health sector. 

She appealed to the midwives and other health workers to demonstrate competence, responsibility, and a dedication to continuous learning and improvement while executing their duties.

Everlyne Achayo, the Principal Senior Nursing officer at Hoima Regional Referral hospital tasked the health ministry and the government to investigate the high level of corruption and extortion being exhibited during the recruitment of health workers across the country.

She further notes that while midwives are vital to health systems’ ability to prepare for and withstand crises, they are often not valued and are excluded from preparedness planning and response efforts adding that this is the moment to position midwives as the essential health professionals at every step of crisis preparedness and response in the country and the world at large. 

Agness Candia, the Commissioner for Nursing and Midwifery in the Ministry of health explains that, there is need for government to recruit more midwives to work in the various health facilities across the country noting that at times midwives are compelled to work beyond the recommended hours due to lack of enough staff.

Candia also appealed to the government to allocate enough allowances for midwives and health workers who operate in hard-to-reach areas. 

She too appealed to the midwives and other health workers across the country to apply the patient centered care approach while on duty saying the gravity of responsibility entrusted to the healthcare practitioners is very crucial. 

Candia adds that, for midwives to adequately respond to their duties, government must ensure that they are safe and are equipped with the training, tools, and resources they need to save lives.