President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed Dr. Godfrey Bonane Pariyo, an orthopedic consultant at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, following complaints about his frequent absence from work.
Museveni announced the decision during a meeting with Public Service Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa, where he raised concerns about doctors in public service neglecting their duties.
The president noted that Dr. Pariyo’s absenteeism had sparked broader questions about the practice of government-employed doctors engaging in private work.
In countries like Rwanda, public service doctors are prohibited from running private practices, a policy Uganda has struggled to enforce.
“Should government doctors continue to be allowed to work in private practice?” Museveni asked, suggesting it may be time for stricter measures.
He emphasized that while Uganda once allowed this dual practice due to a shortage of doctors, the situation has changed, with many qualified but unemployed doctors now available.
Museveni proposed that doctors who work privately while employed by the government should face dismissal.
He directed Minister Mukasa to consult with “patriotic doctors” on how to handle these “traitorous public servants” and hinted at potential reforms, including shifting public servants from permanent and pensionable employment to contract-based terms to improve accountability.