Museveni hails nurses for exhibiting resilience despite challenges at work.

Rukungiri: The president of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has hailed the nurses and midwives in the country for putting their lives at the front line to heal the ailing Ugandans despite the challenges they encounter while performing their medical duties.

The president’s message came on Friday 17th May 2024 during the celebrations of International Nurses and Midwives day held at Rukungiri main stadium in Rukungiri Municipality.

In his message read by the vice president Jessica Rose Apel Arupo, Museveni said the nurses and Midwives have contributed much towards the reduction of mortality rate in Uganda.

Cherop Justus Kiplangat, the president of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU) asked the government to decentralize the health care so that the work of nurses, Midwives and doctors is made easy and more accessible by the masses.

Kiplangat further revealed that the number of nurses and midwives in the country is low compared to the population they are serving. He said there are about 28,000 nurses and midwives in the whole country.

On his part, the secretary for Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union Alex Twekwatse who was one of the event organizers commended the government for increasing their salary.

He was however quick to highlight some of the union’s grievances including unfair promotions, unfulfilled 1 billion shillings presidential pledge to the nurses and midwives SACCO, long working hours among others.

The function attracted over 4000 people including nurses and midwives, political leaders, security personnel among others.