There is an acute shortage of doctors and nurses in Public hospitals in northern Uganda following mass resignations.

Arua and Pader Districts hospitals are the worst hit as doctors and nurses there opt to resign once they are posted to areas they consider as hardship areas, according to sources in the ministry of health.

Once the ministry post or transfer doctors and nurses to rural districts, most of them reject the assignment and instead opt to resign and look for greener pastures elsewhere.

The resignation of health workers has exposed thousands of patients to suffering since most people in northern Uganda depend on public health facilities for medical services.

Records indicate that only about 10 per cent of Ugandans in northern Uganda go to private hospitals and clinics. So when there is a problem in the public health sector, 90 per cent of Ugandans in northern Uganda suffer.

The local leaders in northern Uganda led by MP Hassan Fungaro urges the government to introduce more incentives to encourage doctors and nurses to those areas perceived to be hardship places.

Fungaro suggests for the introduction of hardship allowance and first priority for scholarships for doctors and nurses working in hard to reach areas.