The Ugandan government has announced a major policy shift that will see medical interns no longer receive government facilitation, a move that has ignited intense debate across the health sector. The position was confirmed by Minister-designate for Health Chris Baryomunsi, who argued that the growing number of medical trainees has made continued funding increasingly difficult to sustain.
According to the government, the rapid expansion of medical training institutions has significantly increased the number of graduates requiring internship placements, placing pressure on the national budget. Officials argue that the system is now financially overstretched, with internship support no longer seen as a viable long-term public expenditure given competing national priorities.
Dr Baryomunsi further defended the policy shift by describing internship not as formal employment, but as an extension of academic training. He compared the arrangement to legal training models, stating that doctors in internship are still refining their clinical competence in the same way law graduates undergo professional preparation before full practice.
However, the proposal has triggered strong resistance from the medical community. The President of the Uganda Medical Association, Dr Frank Asiimwe, strongly rejected the move, describing it as unethical and unacceptable. He argued that medical interns are already qualified doctors providing essential frontline healthcare services and should not be treated as unpaid trainees.
Dr Asiimwe warned that expecting interns to work without government support would amount to exploitation, emphasizing that the conditions under which they operate are already demanding. He maintained that removing facilitation would undermine morale and compromise the quality of healthcare delivery in public hospitals across the country.
Government data shows that Uganda currently spends about Shs35.7 billion annually to support medical interns and senior house officers. This funding covers approximately 2,329 trainees deployed across various public health facilities, where they form a critical part of the healthcare workforce despite their training status.
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