Africa-Press – Uganda. Five medical workers attached to Kirika Health Centre III are under fire for alleged neglect of duty contrary to the Public Service Standing Orders.
The trouble for the five health workers stems from reports that they have on several occasions failed to show up for duty, thus affecting effective service delivery.
The Kibuku District Health Officer, Dr Godfrey Buyinza, said the names of affected health workers were submitted to the office of the chief administrative officer (CAO).
“These people’s names have been submitted to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for administrative action,” Dr Buyinza said at the weekend.
However, he declined to name the affected health workers, saying it would create anxiety in the district.
“We took this kind of mechanism to address the high level of absenteeism in various health facilities in the district which had slightly dropped from 34 percent to 15 percent,” Dr Buyinza added.
He said the affected five staff will be required to appear before the District Rewards and Sanction Committee to defend themselves.
“This kind of duty neglect is unacceptable and we have warned that more action would be taken against those still adamant to change their behaviour,” he warned.
The Kibuku Resident District Commissioner, Mr Samuel Musiho, also warned civil servants, especially health workers and teachers, to desist from absenting from duty contrary to the standing orders.
“This continued high levels of absenteeism still puzzle us. We have to step up the fight against absenteeism because the act is becoming chronic and needs punitive measures,” he said.
The caution comes after district authorities got numerous reports of health workers reporting late or absent from work without any clear reasons thus affecting service delivery.
“From my impromptu routine visits to various health facilities, I discovered that by 8am, no health worker would be seen on duty,” Mr Musiho said.
Neglected
Ms Malita Nakirya, a patient at Kirika Health Centre III, decried how she had not been attended to by noon despite heading to the facility early last Saturday.
She said it had become a habit for health workers to report late for work or be absent themselves from duty.
“Some people have even resorted to self-medication because of this situation while others have gone to private clinics because they see no reason to waste time with government health workers and get nothing,” she noted.
The Kibuku District Chairman, Mr Muhammad Nakeba, said they discovered that some health workers have slackened on time management, which he said should be checked.
“This is, therefore, to remind them of the working hours as stipulated by the Public Service Standing Orders, 2010. Those who will continue to abscond from duty should brace for harsh consequences because we shall not tolerate those behaviours to deny our people better services,” he said.
Kibuku District, with a population of 208,900, comprises two counties; Kibuku and Kabweri. Kibuku has 17 health facilities, including one health centre IV, 14 health centre IIIs, and two health centre IIs.
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