An acute shortage of medical doctors in Tororo has forced the district council to mandate the chief administrative officer to outsource without going through the district service commission.
The district council meeting on August 25th resolved to provide accommodation, transport and salary top up of shillings 200,000 to every doctor as an incentive to maintain them.
The resolution comes as a result of doctors leaving the district for more paying jobs elsewhere due to lack of basic incentives.
This year alone, two senior doctors left the district. Dr John Obonyo, the medical superintendent Tororo general hospital left the district to the ministry headquarters while Dr Alex Kakala, the in charge of Tororo county health sub district joined a local non-governmental organization.
The district health officer, Dr David Okumu said they have so far sourced out two new doctors from Makerere and Mbarara Universities to fill the gap and start up the work with immediate effect.
Okumu identified the new doctors as Dr William Ojok and Dr Damascus Wamboya, adding that more are still being sourced to fill up the ceiling. He said they have also got a radiographer to operate the X-ray machine.
He said priority has been put in Tororo general hospital whose capacity requires seven doctors. Okumu explained that currently the hospital has Dr Fred Wabomba, the acting medical superintendent, Dr Patrick Magona and Dr David Ongodia who is on study leave in China.
The district chairman Emmanuel Osuna said the doctors’ houses have been identified in Mukuju health sub district as plans are underway to construct more at Tororo hospital.
He said they are going to use part of the capacity building funds to take more medical personnel for further studies and improve their skills.
The current district population in form of medical coverage stands at 475,700. Tororo county health sub district covers 170,000 people, west Budama north 134,300, west Budama south 126,900 and Tororo municipal council 43,600.
