Uganda Medical Association condemns rising attacks on health workers, calls for public respect
UMA called on the public, political leaders, and cultural institutions to promote civility and lawful conduct in health facilities, urging Ugandans to express dissatisfaction and grief without resorting to abuse or violence.
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has issued a strong public warning over what it describes as a disturbing rise in hostility, abuse, and physical attacks against medical personnel across the country, calling for renewed respect and protection for health workers.
In a statement addressed to the general public, UMA President Dr. Frank R. Asiimwe said the Association, which represents more than 10,000 doctors serving nationwide, is increasingly alarmed by incidents in which doctors and other health workers have been verbally assaulted, threatened, or physically attacked by patients and their attendants.
“Doctors are not enemies of the people. They are sons and daughters of this country, trained to preserve life under difficult circumstances,” Dr. Asiimwe said, warning that continued mistreatment of medical personnel undermines the entire healthcare system.
The Association attributed much of the hostility to unrealistic expectations surrounding medical care, particularly in cases where patients or families believe payment for services guarantees recovery or survival.
“Medical care is not a commercial transaction that guarantees outcomes,” the statement emphasized. “Life and death remain beyond human control, and no amount of payment can alter that reality.”
UMA noted that many confrontations arise from delays in treatment, dissatisfaction with clinical explanations, or grief following the death of a patient. However, the Association stressed that violence and intimidation of health workers are criminal acts that cannot be justified under any circumstances.
“When a medical worker is assaulted, it is an attack on a professional who may have spent the entire day saving lives,” Dr. Asiimwe said, adding that doctors operate within the limits of science, ethics, and human capability.
The Association described medicine as a noble profession requiring years of rigorous training and discipline, arguing that doctors deserve respect regardless of where they work or their personal financial status.
“The dignity of medical professionals is not optional; it is essential for a functional healthcare system,” the statement read.
UMA called on the public, political leaders, and cultural institutions to promote civility and lawful conduct in health facilities, urging Ugandans to express dissatisfaction and grief without resorting to abuse or violence.
As schools reopen for the first term of the academic year, the Association appealed for a broader national reflection on shared responsibility in safeguarding healthcare gains made over recent years.
“A society that fails to protect its healers cannot expect to be healed,” Dr. Asiimwe said.
The Association said it would continue engaging government agencies and security authorities to ensure better protection for health workers and accountability for those who attack them.
