Medical interns handling COVID-19 want risk allowances from Government

Medical Interns want Government to pay their risk allowances following  their involvement in the treatment of Covid-19 patients across the country.

Doctor Mary Lillian Nabwire, the President of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns presented the demand to the Parliamentary Covid-19 task force, arguing that many medical interns who are deployed to the various hospitals are currently at the frontline of offering Covid-19 treatment and related emergency services to patients but have never been considered for the risk allowances.

Dr. Nabwire adds that the young medics are equally susceptible to Covid-19 risks, just like their senior counterparts in the treatment units who are being paid the allowance.

She further told the task force that at least 100 medical interns have tested positive for Coronavirus and are struggling to afford medical care due to poor remuneration, adding that failure by government to respond to their concerns could demoralize them hence affecting service delivery.

According to Doctor Abed Bwanika, the MP Kimanya-Kabonera division in Masaka City, the concerns of medical workers’ risk allowances is one the main demotivation they have established through their nationwide Covid-19 management assessment tour.

He now says they want the Ministry of Health to consider all people involved in the Covid-19 line of care and support under the risk allowance scheme and ensure that the allowances are paid promptly.

Each health worker in Covid-19 Treatment Unit gets an allowance of Shillings 80,000 for each day of work.