17/10/2026
Reflections on the Recent Arua Hospital Incident: A Lesson in Soft Skills and Leadership
Dear Colleagues,
I would like to share my perspective on the recent incident involving Dr Robert Candia and Hon. Hanifah Kawooya.
As a soft skills trainer, I have made some honest observations regarding professionalism and etiquette that I believe are crucial for our healthcare community to reflect upon.
From a professional standpoint, proper etiquette dictates that one should not speak to another person especially a senior official with their hands in their pockets.
Improper body language, such as touching or pocketing while communicating, can easily be misconstrued as disrespect, regardless of the speaker's intent.
However, in this specific scenario, I believe the Hon. Minister took the event too personal.
The decision to suspend the doctor was uncalled for,it was an action that could have been handled more constructively, perhaps in a "motherly" or mentoring manner.
To make matters worse, the entire exchange was recorded on camera.
These kinds of incidents cause significant damage.
They destroy the image, esteem and confidence of healthcare workers.
We must consider the opportunities this doctor might lose simply because of this scandal and the lasting label of being a "pocketing doctor."
This raises a critical question: Who pays the price for this humiliation and disrespect?
I want to strongly suggest that the Hon. Minister and other leaders manage such issues internally, away from the public eye and off-camera.
Leadership is not forced, just as respect should be automatic provided the style of leadership is appropriate.
I write about this because while pocketing may seem like a small action, it can cost us greatly in the long run.
Let us continue to respect one another.
Finally, I recommend that Hon. Kawooya also seek to resolve issues in-house, manage emotions better and continue her work by following respectful, proper channels.
Ultimately Soft skills training should be embraced by all healthcare workers and leaders to avoid such conflicts in the future.
What do you think 🤔
www.littlewinniefoundation.org
Ms Nabukeera Winnie
Social Entrepreneur|Soft skills Trainer|Author|CEO LWF
+256706209821
