It was during this Annual General Meeting for members of the Uganda Medical Association that a decision to go on strike if the government did not address their grievances by the 6th November was taken. One of the major issues raised here was the remuneration. Currently, the highest earning medical doctor at the level of Senior Consultant in the Public Sector takes home 3.9 million shillings and a medical intern earns 960,000 shillings. Now, in their new proposal, they demanded that a Senior Consultant be paid a basic salary of 48 million shillings, be given a five-bedroomed house, a car, and three domestic workers. They are also demanded that the lowest pay for a medical officer be set at 6.5 million shillings. “If there is no money, let us get that money where they are getting the 20 million for the age limit, we want that money to come from there.” Said, Dr. Ekwaro Obuku – President, Uganda Medical Workers’ Association.

They said the government should work on improving the hailing health system instead of humiliating health workers. “The corruption going on in NMS, MOH start from there.” The meeting was also attended by Ministry of Health officials, Workers’ MP Sam Lyomoki and Mulago Executive Director Dr. Baterana Byarugaba who was bullied off at the podium shortly after being invited to speak. “The government has been trying its best but of course....” Said, Dr. Byarugaba Baterana – Executive Director, Mulago. However, the Director of Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health urged the doctors to set attainable demands. “We should probably model it to a five-year period because probably the payments cannot be made in a single Financial Year.” Said, Dr. Charles Olaro – Director, Clinical Services MOH. Despite logging the Mungerera petition on duty facilitating allowances in the Parliament in July 2016, the government had not responded to their grievances therein.