By Weswa Ronnie
SIRONKO
Sironko district local government has officially banned volunteer health workers in all public health facilities.
This was revealed by Nelson Kirenda, the Sironko Chief Administrative Officer while speaking to our reporter in an exclusive interview on Saturday, 9th November, 2024.
According to Kirenda, the district is implementing a directive from the Ministry of Health which was circulated to all district local governments.
Kirenda says that the government discovered that health workers in public facilities absent themselves, while others come but don’t work leaving all duties to volunteers.
He says that some volunteers have been involved in theft of government drugs at health facilities since they are not being paid by government.
The CAO also says that volunteers are not answerable to his office so it is easy for them to commit crimes and it becomes hard to trace him or her.
Kirenda adds that any In Charge at any health facility who will be found still keeping volunteers will be dealt with.
However, Dison Balayo, a councilor representing Sironko Town Council disagreed with the government’s directive of banning volunteers in public health facilities saying this is going to affect services.
He says that government facilities are under staffed and it is volunteers who have been backing up health workers.
