Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has demanded an explanation for the delayed deployment of intern doctors.
Tayebwa said some of the interns have complained to him that they were asked to sit home for another year, pending their deployment to various health facilities.
“This issue of their delayed deployment is a thorn for us and it has been happening year after year,” he said.
“If you are telling these interns that you are giving them another year at home without anything, I have done my part, I have finished my studies but you are saying I cannot practice until I do the internship. But then you are not taking me for an internship. So what do I do? ” said Tayebwa.
Close to 1300 students who completed their medical education in 2024 will not be deployed this year.
Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the Health Minister was not in Parliament when the speaker raised the concern. She is expected to appear with a statement next Tuesday.
Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has threatened to go on strike if the government fails to deploy medical interns. The Ministry of Health this week said it had secured 35 billion shillings to deploy the first batch of interns whose deployment has been pending since 2023.
The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Henry Mwebesa on 29th July said the Medical Internship Committee concluded the random placement for the period from August 2024-July 2025.
He said the placement covered the students who completed their courses before 2023 and before. He stated that the doctors who graduate in 2024 will be deployed in the future. The deployed intern doctors are expected to report to placement centers on 5 August 2024.
The communication has left interns who graduated this year wondering what they will be doing between now and July 205 when the newly placed interns.
“They don’t really think about post-student life while making such decisions. Everything is just for selfish reasons! Already, government hospitals lack enough health workers, and adding a budget is more difficult but rather leaves these young doctors to the streets,” said one of the interns on her X space formerly Twitter.
-URN