Accountability in the healthcare sector is under the spotlight as Ugandan legislators express serious disappointment over the persistent use of an outdated Gulu Hospital manual payroll system. Despite a national push toward digital governance, the hospital’s reliance on manual records has sparked fears of systemic corruption and the misuse of public funds intended for legitimate civil servants and retirees.
The controversy erupted during a recent session of the Central Government Public Accounts Committee (PAC) held at the Parliament of Uganda. The committee was reviewing alarming findings from the Auditor General of Uganda’s Report for the 2024/2025 Financial Year.
The Auditor General’s report highlighted irregularities at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. Source: megafmug.com
Millions Paid to ‘Ghost Workers’
The audit revealed that over a three-month period, the hospital paid Shs133 million to 22 staff members who were entirely ineligible. These individuals had either retired, transferred, absconded from duty, or, in some cases, passed away.
Hon. Benjamin Cadet, representing Bunyaruguru County, pointed out that the Ministry of Public Service has already implemented a fully computerized Integrated Personnel and Payroll System. “People at Gulu hospital are deliberately refusing to use this computerized system,” Cadet argued. He suggested that maintaining the Gulu Hospital manual payroll creates loopholes for swindling money by delaying the removal of ineligible staff.
This practice directly violates Section 12 of the Public Standing Orders (2021), which mandates that a public officer’s salary must cease immediately when they stop rendering services.
The Public Accounts Committee convened at the Parliament of Uganda to review the audit findings. Source: Parliament of Uganda
Seeking Accountability and Recovery
For readers following our Health coverage on the Afrikeye homepage, the mismanagement of healthcare funds directly impacts service delivery across the region. Committee Chair and Mbale Industrial Division MP, Hon. Karim Masaba, expressed deep concern that these delays lead to heavily overstated expenditures.
Wakiso District Woman Representative, Hon. Ethel Naluyima, challenged hospital officials on their plans to recover the lost funds. She noted that the Ministry of Public Service’s digital system is designed to automatically transfer aging staff to the pension system, questioning the justification for bypassing it.
In his defense, Hospital Director Dr. Peter Mukobi stated that the online system still requires human intervention and does not automatically shift personnel off the payroll upon retirement. He cited delays in receiving official retirement letters as a primary reason for the continuous reliance on the Gulu Hospital manual payroll. The committee has demanded documented proof of these technical shortfalls as investigations continue.
