KAMPALA — Medical interns across Uganda have received a major reprieve after the government suspended a controversial new facilitation policy and directed that the current cohort continue receiving monthly payments.
The decision means all 2,490 medical interns deployed across 77 accredited centres will continue receiving the existing UGX 1.2 million monthly facilitation, although the payment remains subject to tax.
The announcement followed concerns over a proposed policy that would have introduced different facilitation arrangements for government-sponsored and privately sponsored medical interns.
Minister of Health Dr Chris Baryomunsi said Cabinet had suspended the new policy for the current cohort while a broader review of human-resource challenges in the health sector is undertaken.
“Cabinet has directed me to prepare a report within six months, but I will do it within two months to address all these issues of human resources in the health sector,” said Baryomunsi.
Baryomunsi said he would also examine the conditions under which medical interns are deployed, particularly the availability of senior doctors to supervise them.
“We need to ensure that even when the interns are deployed, the senior doctors are present to provide supervision,” added Baryomunsi.
The minister further said President Yoweri Museveni had directed that payments to medical workers should not be subjected to taxation.
The suspension is, however, specifically limited to the current cohort of interns, raising concerns among opposition legislators that the same dispute could return when a new group begins internship next year.
Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, welcomed the government’s decision to restore facilitation but said the monthly amount should eventually be reviewed upwards because of the rising cost of living.
“Finally, Government has acknowledged that all medical interns require facilitation, and is now going to reinstate the 1m allowance per month to each medical intern. However, going forward, there ought to be a discussion on increasing the 1m, given the rising cost of living and inflation over the years,” noted Ssenyonyi.
Ssenyonyi also questioned the decision to limit the policy reversal to the current group.
“This particular rescinding is for only this cohort, and that worries because it means that even next year we shall still be here complaining,” he added.
The government’s decision is expected to ease financial pressure on thousands of young health professionals undertaking the mandatory internship period required before full professional practice.
The controversy over intern facilitation had also centred, in part, on whether government-sponsored and privately sponsored medical graduates should receive different levels of financial support.
With the new policy suspended for the current cohort, interns will continue under the existing facilitation arrangement as Cabinet undertakes a wider review of human-resource challenges affecting Uganda’s health sector.
You can see the full salary structure for health workers and all other government employee categories in the current financial year Here.
