The Ministry Of Health Permanent Secretary Dr.Diana Atwiine has cautioned District Health Inspection Officers to carry out their duties and responsibilities or risk losing their jobs.
This after it emerged that their absence in communities had led to a deteriorating health situation around the country in regard environmental health diseases such as cholera and Malaria.
She made the remarks during the launch of the Key Performance Indicators for environmental health workers at Fairway Hotel,Kampala.
“We have people who earn salaries per month and now we are asking why are we not doing what we are supposed to do? If you are an inspector and you are paid, surely in Kampala do you need a motorcycle to move in your neighborhood ,she queried ?”
Asked what will be done to them, she stressed, “we are going to sack them. That is why we are setting targets and that is why we called local government leaders, their supervisors. They have to get out of their comfort zones and work. People have to be penalized for not working. We are really tired of talking!”
“If an area has hygiene related problems, then institute some ordinance that causes people to come together and do regular cleaning.”
“You see people are eating with flies all over the place, selling vegetables on the ground , cooking food next to dirty drainage and sewage canals, we are saying that health inspectors should please move to markets and other areas where food is sold and implement health policies.”
The key performance indicators for environmental health workers are meant to improve sanitation and hygiene in local governments, to strengthen public health measures and reduce the disease burden in communities across the country.
Most importantly is to strengthen inspection, reporting, and enforcement for accountability and public health.
Chief Administrative Officers in districts are being urged to actively supervise inspection teams and ensure focus on food safety, environmental health, and disease prevention.
Relatedly, Environmental Health Officers have been charged to fulfill their roles in conducting inspections, preparing actionable reports, educating communities, and enforcing regulations fairly to restore impactful health promotion and inspection.