The discharge of the first COVID-19 patient from Jinja hospital has been overshadowed by strike by over 40 health workers demanding non-payment of their Shs95, 000 daily allowances since March 23.
As has been the norm countrywide, whenever a COVID-19 patient recovers and is being discharged, frontline health workers celebrate the milestone by dancing to songs of praise.
However, the health workers, who have been treating suspected COVID-19 cases and patients decided to lay down their tools while another COVID-19 patient was being wheeled into the facility.
Robert Gatama, an in-charge of the isolation unit says they are each entitled to a risk allowance of Shs80, 000 and refreshment allowance of Shs15, 000 per day as stipulated in the guidelines and circulars sent by the Ministry of Health, but they have not received a single coin since March 23.
Muhammad Were, the hospital administrator has now urged the workers to get back to work after they were reportedly given a partial payment of Shs60, 000 each.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
