Medical interns who fail to report to their assigned health facilities by 15 August risk losing their internship placements, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has warned.
The warning comes as a standoff between the government and medical interns over their welfare and training conditions continues to intensify.
The interns have refused to report to their respective hospitals, demanding that the government restore their allowances and withdraw a disputed policy affecting their training.
The issue was raised in Parliament on Wednesday by Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, who tabled a letter from the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) warning that doctors could also resort to industrial action if the government fails to resolve the dispute.
Baryomunsi told Parliament that the government expects all interns to report to their duty stations as efforts to address their concerns continue.
He said he would ask hospital directors on 15 August to provide a list of interns who had reported, warning that those who fail to do so could be deemed to have forfeited their placements.
“My message to the interns is that we expect them to report. And on the 15th of this month, I will ask the directors of the hospitals to give me an update in terms of who has reported, and those who will not have reported will be considered to have forfeited their placement for internship as we handle their issues,” Baryomunsi said.
The Minister urged the interns to return to work while the government handles their grievances, saying their concerns were being taken seriously.
“So please, the interns who are watching, report [to duty]. Let the interns report as their issues get handled, because we respect them, we respect what they are raising, and we feel concerned about them,” he said.
Ssenyonyi told Parliament that UMA had written to the Minister of Health, medical doctors, healthcare professionals, stakeholders and the public, outlining concerns over the welfare of medical interns.
He said the association was calling on the government to address the issue of facilitating interns within 14 days, warning that doctors across the country could lay down their tools if no solution was reached.
According to Ssenyonyi, only emergency and other essential life-saving services would remain available during the proposed industrial action.
He also explained that some interns had failed to report to their postings because they could not afford transport, accommodation and food, particularly those assigned to facilities far from their homes.
“These people are saying they are not students; they are medical doctors who are now on practice for the one year that is mandatory,” Ssenyonyi said.
The dispute escalated further on Wednesday when Police intercepted a group of medical pre-interns who were marching to Parliament to seek a meeting with Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth.
The group, led by their president Dr Silver Ssengonga, was protesting the government’s decision to scrap allowances for the mandatory one-year internship.
The interns argue that even when they received a monthly allowance of Shs1 million, many struggled to meet their basic needs. They fear that the removal of the allowance will make their situation even more difficult.
Government has approved 2,417 medical students for internship placements across the country. They were expected to report to their respective health facilities before 14 August, but the interns have vowed not to take up their placements until their concerns over allowances and other welfare issues are addressed.
