Ugandan gov't appeals to nurses, midwives to call off planned strike

KAMPALA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's ministry of health on Monday appealed to nurses and midwives to call off their planned strike scheduled to start Tuesday.

Minister of Health Ruth Aceng told Xinhua that the government is working to address the demands of nurses and midwives for higher salaries, allowances, health coverage and better working conditions.

"We ask the nurses and midwives to call off the planned strike and continue to work normally as their concerns are already being handled by the government," Aceng said.

In a Nov. 30 circular to over 21,000 nurses and midwives, Paul Byenkya, general secretary of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU), asked the union members to lay down their tools effective Tuesday to protest over low pay, allowances and poor working conditions.

"Following UNMU's submission to government demanding the implementation of schemes of service for nursing and midwifery cadres, salary increment and allowances, the government has not responded," Byenkya said. "Therefore, the scheduled date for laying down tools still remains Tuesday."

The strike comes barely two weeks after doctors on Nov. 25 halted a three-week strike following government commitment to increase salaries and improve working conditions in public hospitals by Dec. 15.

The nationwide nurses and midwives strike is expected to paralyze operations in public hospitals and health facilities. Enditem