By Patricia Angel T and Leonard Kamugisha,
NATIONAL:
Medical Laboratory Technicians under their umbrella; the Uganda Medical Laboratory Technicians Association – UMLTA, have declared Tuesday next week a commencement of their nationwide sit down strike over low pay and failure to absorb their degree, masters and PhD holders in public service.
According to a letter dated December 17 to all lab technicians, which was seen Parrots UG, UMLTA say they have decided to go on strike because government is ignoring the issues pressing them.
“As you are aware, the intended industrial action due to delayed response to our welfare by government is simply three days from today,” the letter reads in part.
In a letter, UMLTA urges that despite subsequent meetings held between the association, Ministries of Health and Public Service, no actions are being done to address tbeir grievances..
They now want government to address 13 grievances.
The UMLTA general secretary Dennis Alibu, has asked government to absorb the more than 3,000 degree holders in public service increase their salary from Ugx 2.2 m to Ugx 3 million shillings that it is currently paying non-medical science officers.
“Currently, the government is only employing certificate and diploma holders. Those who upgrade and complete degrees have to come and work and get paid as diploma holders. Certificate holders are paid around Shs800,000 and diploma holders are paid Shs1.2m by government,” Alibu said
He added stressed that government should utilize many lab tech professionals with Masters and PhD qualifications, that are not being employed by the government.
He further listed several other grievances that he wants government to address including refurbishing and equipping dilapidated laboratories in hospitals, compensating families of lab professionals who died in line of duty during Covid-19 response, filling vacant positions in laboratory service, introducing internship training for lab graduates, providing housing allowance and appointing lab officers to head services at district level.
It is understood that ministry of health Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, recently asked hospital directors and district authorities to work with the district or Health Service Commission to address the issues.
“Reference is made to the letter dated January 3, 2019 from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, regarding Circular Standing Instructions No.9 of the 2018 (Scheme of service for medical laboratory cadre in the Uganda public service).
She also urged hospital directors to submit to the district health service commission to submit medical laboratory technicians in their hospital to the for district designation.
“Arising from the above, this is to remind all of you to submit all medical laboratory staff who have not been designated to respective service commission for immediate action,” Dr Atwine wrote.
