Parliament’s Committee on Health is concerned that the
Ministry of Health is interfering with the recruitment process carried out by
the Health Service Commission, a body charged with recruitment in the
sector.
Legislators on the committee said media reports have been awash with
allegations that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr.
Diana Atwine (in featured photo), is meddling in the recruitment of contract
staff and in staff promotions.
Atwine’s
interference, it is alleged, has sparked off fights within the ministry forcing
some staff to leave their jobs in protest.
“You are interfering with the functions of the Health Service Commission. It is
the commission which hires and supervises staff in the sector. You are breaking
the Constitution. You need to bring a law for amendment if you want change [in
the recruitment process],” said Dr. Michael Bukenya, the chairperson of the
Committee on Health.
MPs advised the Permanent Secretary to work with the Health Service Commission
and not carry out parallel recruitment of health workers.
“We can see you do not have team work; if you are to fight injustices in your
ministry, we advise you to fight in liaison with the Health Service Commission
and Ministry of Public Service,” Hon Ssebikaali Yoweri Joel said.
“We appreciate what you are doing, but you should do it legally. The Health Service Commission is solely responsible for recruitment. Do you have documents showing that the recruitment was done legally?” Hon Spellanza Baguma (NRM, Kyenjonjo) asked.
Dr. Atwine said that her ministry recruited contract staff
because of the outdated staff structure which the Health Service Commission
took long to revise.
“It became apparent to supplement the small number of 382 staff at the Ministry
headquarters with contract staff to supervise 57,000 health workers throughout
the country,” Atwine said.
On staff promotion, Atwine said that there are three staff who were recommended
for promotion but are lacking in integrity, have poor attitude towards work and
hardly attend to work.
She added that one staff was recommended for promotion but is being
investigated for corruption.
“If you love the country, you cannot tell me to go and deploy such a staff
moreover in a higher position,” Atwine remarked.
The committee directed Dr. Atwine to ensure that matters of recruitment and
promotion are handled lawfully by the Health Service Commission and the
Ministry of Public Service.
“As a country we are tired of corruption; I suggest that the staff
suspected of corruption should be tried in courts of law,” said Dulu Angel Mark
(NRM, Adjumani East).
