UPDATE: Looming Crisis for Museveni Govt as Incoming Intern Doctors Declare Boycott of Govt Hospitals after Firing of Striking Colleagues

President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s government is staring at a looming crisis in the health sector after incoming intern doctors announced a boycott of government hospitals over the firing of striking medical interns.

Last week, government, through the ministry of health, announced the firing of striking medical interns.

In his directives to heads of hospitals, director general of health services Dr Henry Mwebesa gave intern doctors only two weeks within which to leave hospital premises.

Dr Mwebesa also said the striking interns, who were left with only two months to complete their internship, would be replaced by a new batch of new intern doctors next year.

But this batch of incoming interns have announced a boycott of government hospitals.

The pre-intern doctors and representatives from medical schools met at Mulago in Kampala on December 12, days after the announcement of firing of medical interns.

They resolved to seek placements in private facilities.

This means that government must act as quickly as possible to avert a looming health crisis since interns are said to do a lot of work in its health facilities.

Government may have to rescind its decision to fire the current interns, and that would mean quickly working on their concerns for the enhancement of their allowances.