Health Ministry: Cabinet Yet to Work Out Salaries, Roles of Cuban Doctors

The Ministry of Health has refuted reports that have been making rounds in the mainstream media and social platforms that the Cuban doctors will be getting a monthly stipend of Shs 5 million.

According to the Ministry, Cabinet is yet to work out modalities regarding how many Cuban doctors will be flown in and how much salary they will get.

The decision by government to import specialized doctors from Cuba has dominated news headlines in recent months, but also displeased health workers in Uganda.

Medics under their umbrella body, Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have protested the move saying there is no shortage of medical specialists in Uganda.

They say it is unfair for government to offer the Cuban doctors Shs 5 million each yet they have been making demands for lesser remuneration in vain. While they say the decision to reinforce the specialized local medics by Cuban doctors is good, this is likely to achieve less especially given the lack of basic medical supplies in health facilities.

While speaking at a media breakfast at the Ministry of Health headquarters on Monday, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine did; “Cabinet hasn’t met to discuss the details such as how many are coming and what duties they will be playing. I have no details so far. Once the Cabinet has met and pronounced itself, we shall make the details known to you”.

She said that part of the reason why the Cuban doctors were being brought on board is to address the gap in specialized medics especially in the countryside facilities where most of the health workers don’t want to be deployed.

“The Ugandan doctors have been shunning most of the health facilities where we have been advertising jobs for specialists,” she said.

“Many of them don’t want to leave urban areas because they have other side businesses which they can’t run if they are in rural facilities,” Dr Atwine said.

She however clarified that the Cubans will only be reinforcing the capacity but not to undermine the significance of Ugandan health workers.