Soroti Doctors’ Strike Enters Day Five

The 19 intern doctors, who form the bulk of the work force at the Regional Hospital, last week staged a strike due to unpaid allowances for the month of December.

The sit down strike begun on Thursday and has paralyzed service delivery at the referral hospital.

By the time of filing this story the interns had not reported to the hospital wards.

One of the interns who declined to be named said that they laid down their tools protesting the failure by the hospital management to pay their allowances.

He further says a comprehensive matter and other issues have emerged on which they disagree with the Hospital administration.

He points out that the interns will resume work after to the meeting they are going to hold with the hospital administrators. He says if they do not agree during the meeting with the administrators they will continue with the strike until the matter is resolved.

The interns since Thursday last week have been having fun at the Doctors Mess where they reside and have never stepped in the Hospital.

But Emmanuel Batibwe, the Hospital director said that they are waiting for the intern doctors to turn up for the joint meeting. Batibwe states that the small issues were sorted out but the interns have continued keeping out of the meeting.

Meanwhile, in the Out Patients Department, hundreds of patients lined up waiting to be seen by Clinical officers while the intern doctors’ room was vacant.