Uganda Plans to Export Doctors to Rwanda

Dr. Herbert Luswata, the recently elected president of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), has revealed a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing unemployment among medical professionals and enhancing their remuneration. In an exclusive interview with the Monitor on Sunday, Dr. Luswata detailed plans that involve collaboration with the government to allocate funds for deploying doctors to health centers and facilitating promotions for specialists.

Currently, medical doctors are predominantly assigned to health center IV, leaving health center IIIs, where many people seek care, facing a shortage. UMA intends to rectify this by advocating for the appropriate allocation of resources and the operationalization of a new public service structure.

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Additionally, UMA is in the process of registering an export company to enable Ugandan doctors to work abroad. Dr. Luswata discussed ongoing talks with the Uganda Export Promotion Board and plans to initiate this initiative with Rwanda. A comprehensive strategy is in place to recruit professors, specialists, and junior doctors. The aim is to formalize the process through a Memorandum of Understanding, ensuring organized work arrangements and negotiating competitive salaries for Ugandan doctors in Rwanda.

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Despite challenges outlined in the Health Ministry’s Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan, including low absorption rates of specialized doctors into public service, Dr. Luswata highlighted the surplus of medical graduates from numerous schools. He stressed the necessity of allowing unemployed doctors to explore opportunities abroad until the government can adequately absorb them.