Share this article

Government plans to recruit 600 new medics and promote or replace another 600 existing ones to address the shortage of health workers. The Health Service Commission will oversee the recruitment, aiming to fill gaps in regional referral hospitals and other health institutions.

Starting September this year, the Government will address the shortage of health workers by recruiting 600 medics, the Ministry of Health has revealed.

Additionally, another 600 existing medics have been assessed and deemed suitable to replace those who have retired or passed away, with some being promoted, bringing the total to 1,200.

The national health system is underperforming, with staff facing significant challenges such as inadequate accommodation, lack of transport, frequent drug shortages, and months of unpaid wages.

Dr. Pius Okong, the Chairperson of the Health Service Commission (HSC), an entity established in 1998 to address unique human resource issues in the health sector, announced that nurses, laboratory technicians, and doctors in various specialties will be recruited to fill the gaps in regional referral hospitals.

Speaking during a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala yesterday (Tuesday, June 26), Dr. Okong stated that the recruitment of additional health workers followed clearance from the Ministry of Public Service in February.

He mentioned that several recruitment requests were received by the commission for assessment and advertising. Other recruitment methods included filling vacancies from reserve lists and COVID-19 validated staff merit lists.

The newly recruited health workers will be deployed at the Ministry of Health headquarters, medical professional councils, and within national and regional referral hospitals.

Dr. Okong also indicated that they would recruit for the Kampala Capital City Authority, the Uganda Prisons Service, and specialized institutions such as the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services and the Uganda Virus Research Institute.

The commission is also responsible for recruiting health workers for institutions with such staffing needs, including the ministries of tourism, works, and gender.

“It is our mandate to appoint, confirm, promote, train, and review the terms and conditions of service of health workers under our jurisdiction,” said Dr. Okong.

He added, “Our aim is to have a fully resourced health workforce that is responsive, efficient, and effective in Uganda’s socio-economic transformation process, and to build a fundamentally strong and competent human resource base for efficient and effective health service delivery.”

Dr. Okong noted that the introduction of e-recruitment in October 2017 helped eliminate corruption.

“Previously, individuals within the system would call applicants and extort money from them, with false promises of securing them a spot on the short list and a job. Many lost their hard-earned money, but this practice ended with the introduction of the e-recruitment system,” he said.

Challenges

Dr. Okong highlighted the urgent need to fill vacant positions at the HSC secretariat to manage the increasing workload.

He pointed out that the commission faces significant delays in recruitment when advertised positions attract a large number of applicants, necessitating aptitude tests.

“The only facility capable of providing this service is the Makerere University School of Computing, which often prioritizes its own programs during the academic session. Although the Ministry of Health allocated land to the commission, resources to develop it have not been secured,” he said.

Priorities

Dr. Okong emphasized the dual goals of enhancing service delivery and creating more job opportunities for trained health professionals, particularly critical medical officers in hospitals.

“Certain specialties such as ophthalmology, radiology, ENT (ear, nose, and throat), orthopedics, pathology, pediatrics, surgery, and speech therapy remain underserved. It is crucial to allocate resources and support students pursuing these fields,” he said.

Teopista Wanene, the HSC Permanent Secretary, said, “In the latest recruitment drive, we have onboarded 70 medical doctors to alleviate these challenges.”

Additionally, Wanene noted that the 70 highly qualified medical specialists would be deployed as consultants in regional referral hospitals like Yumbe, Kayunga, and Entebbe.

“Over 70 medical officers and around 100 newly graduated nurses will join government service in September. A total of 130 midwives with diplomas, 50 enrolled nurses, 70 enrolled nurses with certificates, and 200 nurses will bolster our workforce,” she said.

The current doctor-to-patient ratio in Uganda stands at approximately one doctor for every 20,000 people, well below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people.