Crackdown Closes Facilities and Leads to Medic Arrests
Health centres have been closed, and a number of unqualified medical workers apprehended in Kira Municipality, Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso Sub-county, and Entebbe Municipality in an operation initiated on Monday by the Allied Health Professionals’ Council (AHPC). This crackdown, addressing concerns about substandard medical services, is set to extend nationwide next month.
| Key Details | Actions Taken |
|---|---|
| Operation Focus | Targeting illegal health practitioners, unlicensed facilities, and unethical practices. |
| Locations Affected | Kira Municipality, Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso Sub-county, and Entebbe Municipality. |
| Closed Health Centres | Life Care Clinic, Kamuntu Clinical Laboratories, Baron Medical Laboratory, New Hope Domiciliary Clinic, Quick Service Medical Centre, and Care Clinic. |
| Apprehensions | Two medical workers detained during the operation. |
Dr Michael Mubiru Kayizzi, Quality Assurance Manager at AHPC, emphasized the need to address non-qualified staff and unethical practices. The operation revealed issues such as lack of operating licenses, incorrect results, and insufficient tools at several health centres.
| AHPC’s Licensing Criteria | Experience Required |
|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 10 years |
| Midwives | 5 years |
| Allied Professionals | 4 years |
| Medical Officers | 3 years |
Dr Kayizzi urged health centre heads to hire licensed practitioners and adhere to qualification standards. The operation identified dangerous practices, including attending to accident patients without gloves and providing incorrect diagnoses and treatments.
Practising medicine without a licence or lacking qualifications may result in penalties ranging from Shs300,000 to Shs3 million or imprisonment for a period not less than three months and not exceeding three years, or both.
Mr. Alex Kakeeto, the Wakiso District Laboratory Focal Person, stressed the importance of enforcing council laws to regulate laboratories. He emphasized the need for medics to practice within their specialization to avoid mistakes.
