Health Ministry plans validation of all health workers to weed out quacks

What the report says

The Uganda Ministry of Health is preparing reforms to verify and validate health workers across the country, a move aimed at removing unqualified practitioners from both public and private facilities and improving accountability and care quality, according to Nile Post. Director General of Health Services Charles Olaro said the exercise would require health workers to clearly identify themselves by name and professional title, rather than depending on symbols such as white coats alone.

Olaro said the ministry is concerned about so-called quack health workers and wants a process that helps patients know who is treating them and what qualifications they hold. He indicated that the planned checks would apply across the health sector, not only in government facilities. The article did not give a timeline for the reforms.

The ministry is also considering broader changes in how care is delivered. Olaro warned against patients moving around with intravenous cannulas between facilities, saying the practice can increase infection risk, and said patients needing IV treatment should ideally be managed within a health facility. He also urged a shift toward prevention and routine screening, noting that many people seek care only after falling ill.

Nile Post reported that digitalisation is another part of the ministry’s thinking, with the goal of improving oversight of prescribing practices and identifying inappropriate medicine use. In broader context, health-system verification and digital records are commonly used in many countries to strengthen regulation, patient safety and data tracking, though the article did not describe a specific implementation plan.