By KT Reporter
Four medical officers at Pajule Health Centre IV have laid down their tools, plunging the already-strained health facility into a deeper crisis and leaving thousands of residents without essential medical services. They began their strike on Monday, 24th November 2025, following a letter addressed to the District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and copied to the District Health Officer (DHO).
In a November 7th, 2025 letter, the facility in charge, Dr. Denish Ocaya warned the CAO and the DHO about the severe staffing gaps at the facility. He reported that Pajule Health Centre IV is operating at only 31.8% staffing, with 42 staff in post out of the required 132, a shortage he said has crippled service delivery.
The biggest gaps he noted include midwives, nurses, anesthetists, and medical officers. Pajule Health Centre IV, which has been approved for five medical officers, currently has only one substantive officer, despite six qualified medical doctors being available but “incorrectly deployed.” Dr. Ocaya further revealed that the facility has only one anesthetist and a handful of nurses and midwives serving an overwhelming population.
He said the silence by district officials on recruitment has demoralized health workers, some of whom have threatened to revert to their previous positions or work strictly eight hours as allowed by the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders. The tension worsened when a visiting commissioner from the Ministry of Health reportedly instructed the newly qualified medical doctors to return to their previous deployments before their recent academic upgrades.
This directive triggered the Monday walkout, with the affected doctors insisting they could not continue performing procedures without proper deployment, fearing legal and professional risks.
Pajule Town Council Chairperson Tito Brilliant Okello confirmed the withdrawal, saying the facility, which recently functioned with minimal referrals and active surgeries, had no doctors on duty during his recent visit. He blamed the district and expressed concern that doctors trained with district funds are being left idle due to failed recruitment processes.
Jimmy Odokonyero, a patient attendant, recounted an incident in April 2024 when his wife needed an emergency C-section but found no doctor on duty. He said the in charge of the facility, Dr. Ocaya, who was on leave, had to return to save two mothers that day, including his wife. Odokonyero warned that the current withdrawal will expose more families to similar dangers.
Concerns have emerged over allegations that money meant for recruitment was diverted to other district expenses, including payments for Latanya Seed Secondary School. The acting DHO Benson Oyoo defended the district, saying promotions cannot be effected without adequate wage allocations. He urged the doctors to keep serving the community “with humanity” as the district works to secure funds.
With no medical officers available, emergency operations, including lifesaving C-sections, will cease entirely. Dr. Oyoo said locals, including women and newborns, are expected to bear the brunt, as referrals to Kitgum or Agago remain costly, risky, and often delayed. Meanwhile, as the crisis worsens on the ground, the facility reportedly handles an average of 12 deliveries a day, amounting to over 1,500 births annually. The facility also receives about 170 outpatients daily, overstretching both staff and infrastructure far beyond capacity, according to reports from the district health department.
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