By Leonard Kamugisha Akida
NATIONAL
The government has been charged to urgently resolve the standoff with the medical interns, before the former lays off their tools.
This call was made by the UPC spokesperson, Sharon Oyat Arach during a press briefing at the party’s headquarters at Uganda House in Kampala on Wednesday.
According to Arach, deploying medical interns without providing adequate support for accommodation, meals, transport and professional protective equipment poses serious threat to the stability and quality of Uganda’s health system.
UPC urged government to resolve the impasse urgently, warning that failure to resolve this standoff could further strain an already overstretched health system.
“This impasse is regrettable and poses a serious threat to the stability and quality of our health system,” Oyat said.
The internship for the newly deployed interns was supposed to commence on August 3, but they declined to report to their assigned hospitals until the Ministry of Health issues clear communication on their allowances and welfare. This prompted the ministry to issue a 14-day ultimatum or fortfeiture, which the interns have continued to defy.
On Tuesday, Uganda Medical Association (UMA) took a twisted move after they issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Government to resolve the standoff over the deployment, allowances and welfare of medical interns, warning that doctors will lay down their tools on August 26, 2026.
The association also rejected any proposal to pay only formerly government-sponsored interns, arguing that all interns have the same qualifications, perform similar duties and serve the same patients.
The doctors are demanding a monthly facilitated allowance of Sh4m, equivalent to 75% of an entry-level medical officer’s salary, to cater for accommodation, food, transport and professional equipment during the mandatory 12-month internship.
UMA warned that any intimidation or punitive action against interns who decline to report would trigger immediate industrial action.
Today (Wednesday August 11), police arrested four medical interns, including the leader of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns (UFMI), who were protesting what they termed as unfair treatment. Those arrested included UFMI president Dr Shego, Dr Kirunda, Dr Okwir and Dr Jamada, an intern leader at Mulago Hospital. They were reportedly arrested while heading to Parliament to issue the strike notice.
UPC condemned the unfair treatment of intern doctors, saying that they play a critical role in public hospitals including filling staffing gaps and providing frontline care. The party called UPC called on the government to suspend implementation of provisions that withdraw support from interns, honour existing agreements on internship allowances and welfare, until consultations with stakeholders are concluded.
“Once the medical interns are not catered for, you are going to have increased loss of lives. This will affect children, expectant mothers and other patients,” Arach added, stating that engaging stakeholders like UMA would help the government in finding sustainable solutions.
However, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi directed all pre-intern doctors who have not yet reported to their placement hospitals to do so as the Government finalises payment arrangements.
Baryomunsi said those who fail to report by August 15 risk forfeiting their internship placements.
“My message to medical interns is that we expect them to report on the 15th of this month. Those who will not have reported will be considered to have forfeited their placements,” he said.
He argued that interns contribute labour while learning but are not the only health workers responsible for service delivery.
