Stakeholders in the medical fraternity have pleaded with the government to include Ear, Nose and throat [ENT] medical specialists into the public service payroll structures because of the critical role they play in the healthcare service provision.
The remarks were made by the student community of the Mulago Ear, Nose and Throat students Association [MENTSA] a department under the Uganda institute of allied health and management sciences Mulago [UIAHMS] during a public awareness drive were they interacted with workers in the Old Mulago Kabaka’s market.
The interaction involved carrying out a comprehensive cleaning exercise as well as sensitizing them about the escalating condition of noise impairment given the massive exposure of these workers to mix of blurring music from nearby studios and mechanics among other noise producing systems.
The MENTSA president Allan Natamba said they visited the Mulago market community to sensitize them about the devastating impact of noise in their ears which burden has led to significant case increase given the patient turn up.
Natamba who is a clinical officer year 11 said the school runs a clinic for ENT very day from Monday to Friday 8-5PM at the Mulago Paramedical School which offers free medical treatment services on conditions like ear, nose and throat challenges.
He warned that workers should avoid the blurring music from large sound speakers as well as young people persistent use earphones which lead to suffering from hearing impairment as they cannot hear anymore.
The continuous use of earphones destroy their ear drum leading to permanent hearing impairment with victims suffering itching ears, release of blood or water and puss as well as a watering nose which can spread into the brain thus acute condition.
The head of department ENT Enid Mugume told this website on the sidelines of the vent that excessive exposure to noise can be dangerous to one’s health and that people should avoid such conditions for their own good.
She lamented that government has not yet responded to their numerous appeals for the inclusion of ENT specialist on the public payroll structures yet they are a crucial medical team of experts who treat complex conditions of the ear, nose and throat.
‘We continue to appeal to the government through our mother ministry of health that they should lobby the ministry of public service, finance planning and economic devilment to ensure that ENT specialists are absorbed into the mainstream public service payroll structures’ noted Mugume.
She noted that the teaching of ENT commenced way back in 2001and since then no specialist has ever been deployed to serve in government main stream healthcare facilities yet patients are on the increase.
The country boosts of only 50 ENT specialists and clinical officers who should be classified in the public service payroll structures and subsequently deployed among all government health facilities from HC111- district hospitals and regional referral hospitals.
Currently no hospital has a clinical ENT officer yet they handle delicate emergencies of complex medical conditions.
The ENT department offers courses including;
Medical Laboratory Technology, Pharmacy, Medical Radiography, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Orthopedics Medicine, Medical Entomology & Parasitology, Public Health Dentistry, Orthopedic Technology, Dental Technology, Clinical and Community Nutrition, Medical Records and Health Informatics, Environmental Health Sciences
While Post Basic Diploma Courses include;
Anesthesia, Ear, Nose &Throat & Neck Surgery, Health Leadership and Management, Health Promotion & Education, Audiology, among others.
