Over 600 specialist doctors go on strike today over allowances

Senior House Officers (SHOs), qualified doctors who are training to become specialists while serving in public hospitals, have declared a nationwide strike effective today over payment of arrears.

The doctors, 693 in number, in their April 28th letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry, said they have not been paid their allowances for 4 to 6 months.

“The last payment of allowances was made in February 2023 and this went only to a section of SHOs,” the letter signed by Dr Robert Lubega, the head of SHOs, reads.

The SHOs said: “First year’s and a group of other SHOs and fellows were left out. SHOs and fellows are demanding four to six months allowance arrears, yet they are expected to study diligently while serving their fellow Ugandans amidst challenges of scarcity of medical supplies.” Read more