The Health Committee of Parliament has demanded that government allocates funds to ensure that medical specialists like anesthetic professionals receive a salary increment next financial year.
MPs on the committee met with the Health Minister Ruth Aceng to discuss the Ministry’s ministerial policy statement for next Financial Year.
Several categories of medical workers are going to receive generous salary increments following a number of strikes in various sectors last year that forced the government to constitute a salary review committee.
For instance a senior medical officer/ senior dental surgeon will get an increase from a monthly salary of Shs1.3m to Shs3.3m next Financial Year while a principal medical officer will move from a monthly salary of Shs1.9m to Shs3.7m.
A total of Shs150bn has been allocated in the next Financial Year to cater for these increments.
While he welcomed the salary enhancements the chairperson of the Committee Matthew Bukenya asked the Minister of Health to also ensure specialists working upcountry receive a fair increment since hospitals in hard to reach areas are lacking specialists like anesthesiologists due to low pay.
Aceng argued that the matter would be best discussed with the Ministry of Finance and Public Service that came up with the increments but stated that she was committed to ensuring all medical professionals get salary enhancements in phases.
Michael Bukenya remained unconvinced and ordered that the Minister locates funds within her budget to include a salary increment for specialists in upcountry hospitals.
