By Kabuye Ronald
Government has bowed to pressure and suspended a proposal that would have led to the withdrawal of facilitation for privately sponsored medical interns.
The decision means the current cohort of medical interns will continue receiving a net monthly allowance of Shs1 million, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi told Parliament on Tuesday, 18 August 2026.
Baryomunsi said Cabinet resolved to suspend the contested provision following weeks of public debate, media reports and protests by medical interns.
“Cabinet recommended that we suspend that provision on facilitation and pay them as it has been. The current cohort of interns will all receive a net pay of Shs1 million,” Baryomunsi said.
He explained that government had traditionally facilitated all medical interns, but a new proposal sought to differentiate between interns who were government-sponsored during university and those who paid for their own training.
Under the proposal, government-sponsored interns would continue receiving the full allowance, while privately sponsored interns would only receive support for meals.
“This has been giving interns discomfort,” Baryomunsi said.
The minister said government has also increased the number of internship centres to 77 and deployed 2,490 interns, including doctors, pharmacists, dentists, graduate nurses and midwives.
Cabinet has tasked Baryomunsi with reviewing the National Education and Training for Health Policy and preparing a comprehensive paper on human-resource challenges in the health sector.
The review will address issues including the number of health professionals Uganda needs to train, their absorption into public service and appropriate remuneration.
Hon. Ssenyonyi makes his response to the minister as the Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and other MPs listen to his submission
Baryomunsi also announced the reversal of a proposal that would have required medical students to complete internship before graduating.
He said students will continue to graduate after fulfilling their academic requirements, while internship will remain a separate requirement for professional practice.
The minister further said the government would engage relevant agencies over the release of medical interns who were arrested during demonstrations against the earlier policy.
The Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, welcomed the government’s decision but called for a review of the Shs1 million allowance, arguing that inflation has eroded its value.
“The interns deserve more. Times have changed; the terrain is different. That Shs1 million of many years ago cannot remain the same,” Ssenyonyi said.
He also urged government to establish a sustainable arrangement for facilitating medical interns beyond the current cohort.
“At least government has acknowledged that interns are medical doctors who need to be facilitated,” Ssenyonyi said, warning that Parliament could be forced to revisit the matter if the arrangement only applies to the current group.
Ssenyonyi called for further discussions on how medical interns should be facilitated on a long-term basis.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Julius Rude, called for internship facilitation to be incorporated into the national budget.
He also urged government to provide safe accommodation for interns close to their deployment facilities.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired the sitting, meanwhile criticised ministers for failing to brief Parliament about Cabinet decisions with far-reaching consequences.
Tayebwa said MPs should not have to learn about major government decisions through the media, as had happened with the medical interns’ pay.
“There are critical decisions you take in Cabinet which have far-reaching impacts. When you take them, come and update us so that we do not pick them from the public,” Tayebwa said.
