VANESSA A
Village Health Teams from Kyitondo parish, Ihunga subcounty, Kajara county, Ntungamo district demand monthly payment to boost their performance in their work.
It is reported that the VHTs are made to do a lot of tasks but are not paid depending on the work they do, highlighting that they are always made to sign and told they will receive money on their phones but all in vain, which makes them lose morale.
Speaking to our reporter, Milton Mugarura, a VHT from Nombe cell, Kyitondo parish, revealed that they are sometimes given tasks but end up receiving no pay yet they are working for the government.
He further said they were promised solar panels to help in charging the phones they were given for their work, but up to now they have never received any, saying it is a problem to get where to charge those phones. He added that they were promised a monthly payment but this promise has never been fulfilled for years.
Another VHT from Nyarwanya cell, Joan Katushabe, confirmed to our reporter that they are given a lot of tasks with no pay yet they put in a lot of time, citing that sometimes they are called very early in the morning up to evening and the day ends like that without attending to their personal developmental projects.
She further said they are neglected and not asked about the challenges they meet in the field, such as being given phones with no data or airtime, and lacking where to charge those phones, urging the government to think about them as a way of motivating them.
Rosemary Kyomuhendo, a VHT from Rugyendwa cell, also echoed the matter, saying that during the rainy season it is hard for them to conduct their duties. She said they would need umbrellas and gumboots, and noted that they work quarterly without pay.
She further urged the government to provide them with a monthly allowance to motivate their work as well as enough medicine to attend to the people.
However, speaking to the District Health Officer, Bahati Amon, he highlighted that VHTs are paid according to the work they are involved in, which he called allowances. He said for those who do not receive payments, some register their phone numbers not in their real names, which makes it hard to send money to the rightful owner, but assured that they will be worked on.
He further said that the issue of monthly payments is handled by local leaders, such as Members of Parliament, to raise in parliament meetings and have it worked upon. As for the DHO’s office, he said all they can afford are allowances.
