The Ministry of Health has clarified that Dr Robert Candia, a doctor at Arua Regional Referral Hospital who was allegedly suspended by the State Minister for Health, Anifa Bangirana Kawooya, remains at work and continues to perform his duties.
The clarification follows a viral video showing Kawooya confronting Candia for addressing her while keeping his hands in his pockets during an official engagement at the hospital.
In the video, the minister, accompanied by other officials, questions the doctor over his conduct before declaring, “For you it’s suspension. I have said suspension …” Candia is subsequently seen being guided away as the minister continues to accuse him of indiscipline.
The incident sparked widespread criticism on social media, with several people, including medical practitioners, questioning the minister’s authority to suspend a health worker in such circumstances and calling for disciplinary procedures to be respected.
In a statement issued on Friday, Dr Diana Atwine, the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, said the government had established procedures for handling disciplinary matters within the public service, emphasising that any action against a public officer must comply with the applicable administrative requirements.
Her statement effectively clarified that Candia had not been formally removed from his duties at the hospital, despite the minister’s declaration in the video.
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA), the professional body representing medical practitioners, had earlier condemned the incident and called for the immediate rescission of the purported suspension.
In a statement, UMA president Frank Asiimwe criticised the manner in which the incident was handled, arguing that health facilities should remain professional environments focused on patient care rather than public confrontations.
“Health facilities are centres of clinical science, intense human distress and lifesaving interventions. They are not stages for political posturing nor are they areas for roadside court-martials aimed at scoring cheap public relations points,” Asiimwe said. He also called for an end to what he described as political theatrics in health facilities across the country.
The incident has renewed debate over the increasingly confrontational approach some government officials have adopted during inspection tours, where public officers are questioned or reprimanded in front of cameras.
Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara has been among the prominent proponents of this approach, using filmed visits to government institutions to confront officials over alleged inefficiencies and failures in service delivery.
Supporters of such inspections view them as a means of exposing poor performance and demanding accountability from public servants. However, critics argue that publicly reprimanding officials before establishing the facts risks undermining institutional procedures and the rights of the individuals involved.
Legal experts have also raised concerns about the implications of such interventions, warning that disciplinary action taken outside established procedures could expose the government to litigation-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
