The government is considering barring medical workers employed in public health facilities from simultaneously practising in privately owned clinics, laboratories and pharmacies, Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi has said.
The proposed restriction would apply alongside a planned tax exemption on salaries of public medical workers, with the government seeking greater commitment and accountability from health workers whose pay has recently been increased.
Baryomunsi said the government wants medical workers who benefit from the proposed Pay As You Earn (PAYE) exemption to dedicate their working time to serving patients in public health facilities rather than dividing their time between government and private establishments.
The Minister made the remarks while addressing participants at the 4th Kigezi Joint Health Review Mission (JRM) hosted by Rubanda District. The three-day annual meeting, convened by Kabale Regional Referral Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health, brings together health officials to assess service delivery, rank district performance and identify solutions to health challenges affecting communities in the region.
Baryomunsi said he had informed Parliament in August about President Yoweri Museveni’s proposal to exempt medical workers from PAYE as part of efforts to improve their welfare. However, he said the proposed tax relief would come with expectations that beneficiaries give their full attention to public health service.
He specifically pointed to public health workers who also work in privately owned clinics, laboratories and pharmacies, saying they would have to choose between government employment and private practice if the proposal is approved. “You choose to work … as a consultant,” Baryomunsi said.
Under the proposal, however, medical workers would still be allowed to offer services in private wings operated by government hospitals. Baryomunsi said doctors and other specialists working in such private wings would be required to share half of the income generated from patients treated there with the government facility.
He cited Kabale Regional Referral Hospital, which has a private wing, as an example. “For instance, Kabale Regional Referral Hospital has a fully-fledged private wing. If you are a consultant, you will be allowed to treat patients from the private wing and share half of the money paid by that patient,” he explained.
Baryomunsi said the main objective of the proposed policy is to ensure that public health workers spend adequate time attending to Ugandans seeking services in government facilities. The Minister said Cabinet had initially approved six months beginning August 18 to advance the proposal.
He said he would complete drafting the comprehensive policy and submit it to Cabinet for consideration before it is taken to Parliament, with the process expected to be completed before the end of October.
Baryomunsi said the proposed tax exemption would allow medical workers to take home their full salaries without PAYE deductions, removing what he described as excuses for poor performance.
The proposal has received support from several health officials in the Kigezi sub-region, although some have raised concerns about its effect on the availability of highly specialised medical practitioners.
Rubanda District Secretary for Health and Education, Obed Mutatiina Kitabutuka, said the proposed policy could help reduce absenteeism in public health facilities.
Rubanda District Health Officer, Dr. David Mporampora, also supported the proposal, saying restrictions on public health workers holding jobs in both government and private facilities were long overdue.
He said dividing time between public and private facilities can compromise the quality of services provided to patients in government hospitals and health centres.
However, Kabale District Health Officer Dr. Gilbert Mateeka expressed reservations about requiring all public health workers to work exclusively for government facilities.
While welcoming the proposed tax exemption and the government’s demand for greater accountability, Mateeka said restricting highly qualified specialists to government facilities could create challenges because of their limited numbers and the high demand for their services.
“There are some highly qualified cadres in health, but the supply is still very limited. Attempting to restrict them to serve only the government may not be feasible,” he said.
The proposed policy comes as the government seeks to improve staff availability and accountability in public health facilities while addressing concerns over absenteeism and the competing demands placed on health workers employed in both the public and private sectors-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
