By KT Reporter
A group of health workers at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital has voiced frustration over unpaid salary arrears, which they claim have severely impacted their livelihoods. Led by Ivan Wephukulu, a nurse at Nalufenya Hospital’s pediatric ward, the workers say they can no longer afford basic necessities such as food, rent, and transport due to the delays in their salaries.
Wephukulu, who has not been paid for the past three months, explained that some workers have resorted to taking quick loans from online lenders as a temporary measure to survive. However, the pressure to meet their loan obligations is growing, and many are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.
“We were managing until the start of this financial year, when some of us missed out on salaries, while others were paid on time,” said Wephukulu. He added that despite raising the issue with both the hospital administration and the Ministry of Public Service, no resolution has been reached.
Wephukulu claims that around 40 staff members from various departments have approached him regarding the arrears, with some workers owed up to five months’ pay. However, due to fear of retaliation, many have chosen to either silently endure the situation or quietly stay away from work, awaiting further action from the hospital management.
One nurse, who requested to remain anonymous, shared her personal struggles, explaining that she is a single mother of two daughters who missed their end-of-year exams because she couldn’t afford to pay their school fees. She also stated that she relies on her salary for rent and to support her elderly parents, whose financial situation has also been affected by the delayed payments.
“We are in a dire situation, and it is crucial for the hospital administration to expedite the process of paying our salaries,” the nurse said. In response, Alfred Yayi, the Director of Jinja Hospital, acknowledged the workers’ concerns and assured them that efforts are being made to resolve the issue.
Yayi explained that the delays have affected 19 staff members and 33 pensioners, primarily due to complications in transitioning newly recruited and transferred employees from the Integrated Personnel Payment System (IPPS) to the Human Capital Management (HCM) system.
Yayi appealed for continued patience from the affected workers, adding that approvals have been made by the Ministry of Public Service, which will facilitate the release of the outstanding payments in the near future-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
