By Abaho Andrew, CMP Publications
Gulu City, Northern Uganda – August 2024
Tensions are escalating in Uganda as a group of unemployed medical interns, backed by human rights activists, have issued a stern warning to the government, threatening to storm the upcoming parliamentary sessions scheduled for August 28-30 in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. The interns are demanding immediate action from the government to pass a supplementary budget that would secure their deployment.
The medical interns, who have completed their degree programs and are now eligible for internship, have grown increasingly frustrated with the government’s inaction. Despite numerous appeals to top government offices, including the President’s Office, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Ministry of Health, there has been little progress in addressing their concerns.
“We are coming to Gulu if you don’t pass a supplementary budget to deploy us,” declared a spokesperson for the group of interns. “We have been to all the top offices in this country, such as the President’s, Speaker’s, and Ministry of Health’s, among others, but there’s no sign of deploying us.”
The Ministry of Health, led by General Duties Minister Ms. Hanifa Kawooya, has acknowledged the crisis but insists that financial constraints are the primary barrier to deploying all eligible interns. According to Minister Kawooya, the ministry received Shs35 billion, which she claims is insufficient to cover the costs of deploying all 2,700 eligible medical degree holders.
“It costs Shs1.3 million per month, or Shs15.6 million annually, to deploy one intern,” explained Minister Kawooya. “With the current budget, we can only cater for 1,500 interns, leaving the remaining 1,200 without deployment opportunities.”
The Ministry of Health’s proposal to deploy only the 2023 cohorts, while leaving out the 2024 cohort, has sparked outrage among the affected interns and human rights advocates. Activists argue that this decision not only violates the rights of these young professionals but also undermines the country’s healthcare system at a time when the demand for medical services is critical.
“This is a blatant disregard for the rights of these graduates who have invested years of hard work and dedication to their studies,” said a spokesperson from the Resurgence Network for Human Rights. “The government’s failure to allocate sufficient funds for their deployment is not just an economic issue but a human rights violation that could have severe consequences for the health sector.”
As the parliamentary sessions in Gulu City approach, the threat of protests looms large. Activists and medical interns alike are calling on the government to prioritize the deployment of all eligible medical interns, stressing that failure to do so will lead to significant unrest and further strain an already overburdened healthcare system.
The situation highlights a growing dissatisfaction among Ugandans with the government’s handling of critical issues, from healthcare to human rights. As the nation watches closely, the response from Parliament in the coming days will be crucial in determining the outcome of this escalating crisis.
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