KAMPALA – Budadiri East MP Hon. Eng. Julius Nakiyi has appealed to government to recognise and remunerate public health inspectors as essential medical workers, raising concerns over their salary classification and delayed implementation of salary enhancements.
Nakiyi raised the matter before Parliament in Kampala, arguing that public health inspectors play a critical role in disease prevention, health education and the delivery of essential public health services across the country.
He explained that prevention and public health education are key pillars of the Ministry of Health and the National Development Plan, with public health inspectors serving as an important workforce in implementing these government priorities.
The legislator questioned why public health inspectors, despite being recognised by the Ministry of Health as part of the medical service delivery workforce, continue to be paid by local governments under the scientists’ salary structure rather than the medical workers’ salary scale.
Nakiyi revealed that he had received a memorandum from the Minister of Health directing the Ministry of Public Service to enrol public health inspectors as medical staff and remunerate them under the medical salary structure.
However, he expressed concern that the proposed salary adjustments had not been implemented, noting that the affected workers were still waiting for salary enhancements that were issued in 2021.
He consequently challenged government to explain why public health inspectors across the country had not been fully recognised and paid as medical workers, despite their contribution to disease prevention and public health protection.
In response, the Right Honourable Prime Minister acknowledged the importance of public health inspectors, describing them as key pillars in protecting communities and strengthening preventive healthcare.
The Prime Minister, who said the inspectors were understood to be among the beneficiaries of government salary enhancement arrangements for scientists and medical professionals, expressed concern over Nakiyi’s submission and requested supporting evidence to clarify the discrepancies.
She asked the Budadiri East legislator to provide specific details regarding the affected workers and their salary classification so that government could investigate the matter and address any outstanding gaps.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to improving remuneration for scientists and medical professionals, pledging that the concerns raised would help identify areas requiring clarification and corrective action.
Nakiyi’s appeal has brought renewed attention to the welfare and recognition of public health inspectors, whose work remains central to disease prevention, community health education and the protection of public health across Uganda.
