Labor export firms have rejected a directive from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to conduct body organ examinations for all migrant workers at UMC Victoria Hospital, which belongs to businessmen, Sudhir Rupareria.

On May 27th, 2022, Internal Affairs Minister, Maj Gen (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, directed all labor export firms to take their clients to UMC Victoria Hospital for body organ testing in a bid to minimize cases of the illegal internal tissue extraction in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

On June 6th, 2022, Dr. Anuraga Shah, the Managing director of UMC Victoria Hospital wrote inviting all labor export firms to the inauguration of the body organ testing center.

However, Baker Akantambira, the Chairman of Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies (UAERA) fired back, saying they cannot associate with illegality. 

The Internal Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Simon Peter Mundeyi earlier confirmed that the ministry would enforce the directive to test body organs purposely to address numerous outcries that Ugandans going for external labor were being exploited by employers to the extent of removing their internal organs.

UAERA Spokesperson, Ronnie Mukundane, confirmed that as labor exporters they cannot be the party to illegality since UMC Victoria hospital is not among the health amenities certified by GCC to test Ugandans going for external labor.

Betty Amongi, the Minister for Gender, Labor, and Social development, has also written to Gen Otafiire, reminding him that it is her ministry that leads in any negotiations and regulations regarding migrant workers.

Amongi says the proposal of setting up an authorized medical center to test for the presence of internal organs like liver, pancreas, kidney functioning or full body examination for trauma and related ailments and eye checks must conform to the existing framework provided for under the current bilateral labor agreement or use the existing accredited medical facilities to implement his directive.   

According to the Uganda Human Rights report shared with Parliament, at least 28 Ugandans died in the Arab world in 2021. Similarly, 21 Ugandans trafficked for local and external labor died mysteriously.

Source: URN