Medical Interns Standoff Deepens as Government Blames ‘External Forces’

Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has told Parliament that government has deployed eligible medical interns to accredited hospitals, but accused unnamed “external forces” of encouraging some of them not to report for duty.

Baryomunsi said interns were expected to report to their assigned facilities between August 3 and August 14 as government continues consultations over their welfare and the implementation of new policy measures affecting internship.

The minister said he personally held a six-hour meeting with representatives of the interns to discuss their concerns, acknowledging that they have genuine welfare challenges. However, he maintained that interns must complete the mandatory training before they can become fully licensed medical professionals.

Baryomunsi suggested that the continued refusal by some interns to report was not entirely their own decision, claiming that “external forces” were advising them against reporting. He did not identify the individuals or organisations he was referring to.

His remarks came as the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) intensified its support for the interns, giving government 14 days to resolve the standoff or face industrial action.

UMA is demanding, among other issues, a monthly internship allowance of Shs4 million and guarantees that all eligible interns will be deployed to accredited training sites. The association has also backed the interns’ decision not to report until clear assurances on their welfare are provided.

Baryomunsi also rejected claims that Uganda’s health system is entirely dependent on medical interns. He said internship is primarily a period of supervised professional training and that graduates must complete it before they can practise as fully licensed doctors.

The minister argued that interns should not be treated as replacements for permanently employed health workers, although they provide clinical services under supervision.

The dispute comes amid persistent staffing shortages in Uganda’s public health facilities. UMA says 2,417 eligible medical interns are awaiting deployment, while Parliament has raised concerns about staffing levels at public hospitals.

At Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, legislators have raised concerns that the facility is operating at only about 21 percent of its required staffing structure, raising fears that the absence of interns could further strain already overstretched health workers.

At the centre of the standoff is the implementation of the National Education and Training for Health Policy, which has raised concerns among medical interns over financial support during their internship.

The interns say reporting to hospitals without clear and predictable facilitation could leave many struggling to meet basic costs such as accommodation, transport and meals. Government, meanwhile, is weighing the welfare concerns against the cost of sustaining the internship programme nationwide.

Baryomunsi said consultations with the interns are ongoing and that government expects to conclude them and present its final position next week.

With UMA’s 14-day ultimatum now in effect, pressure is mounting on government to find a compromise before the dispute escalates into wider industrial action.

For the interns, the key question remains whether they can report without guarantees on their livelihood. For government, the challenge is how to address their concerns without creating an unsustainable financial commitment. For patients, however, the biggest concern is whether the standoff will further reduce the number of health workers available in already understaffed public hospitals.