In a statement release on 10th December 2021, All striking medical intern doctors were been given one week to vacate Hospitals.
This was confirmed by Henry Mwebesa; the Director-General of Health Services.
The ministry of Health requested all striking intern doctors to vacate training centres to make room for new entrants. This is after they ignored pleas from president Museveni and the government to be patient as they await their promised salary increments according to the ministry of health spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyona
Ministry of Health Statement to Medical Interns.
IN ANY CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS SUBJECT PLEASE QUOTE NO. ADM. 160/264/01 10 December 2021 All Hospital Director Medicals/ Superintendents Medical Internship Training Sites MEDICAL INTERNS’ STRIKE As you are aware the Medical Interns have been strike since 6th November 2021 demanding for payment of enhanced Medical Internship allowance Government provided assurance of payment of enhanced Medical Interns was as soon as the supplementary budget is approved by Parliament. Indeed, Parliament approved the supplementary budget and the Ministry is waiting for release of funds from Ministry of Fine Panning and Economic Development However, the Medical Interns have continued to be on strike as per the letter from the Federation for Uganda Medical Interns dated 6 December, 2021 despite the above assurance from the Government. Furthermore, the items are in their 2nd rotation with only 2 months to complete and got fully registered with their Professional Councils as Medical Officers, pharmacists and Nurse Midwives respectively, thus opening their ways to the job market. Since the intern have now been away from their training sites for over 5 weeks, the Ministry of Health Top Management has decided that 1. All Medical Interns on strike vacate the Hospital premises within one week of the date of this letter to pave the way for the new Medical Interns that are due to start in year 2022 2. As soon as funds for enhancement of Medical Inters’ allowances we released by Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Health will pay their arrears up to the time the Medical Interns went on strike. 3. All those who went on strike will find their own way of completing their second rotation in order to be signed off. Ministry of Health Uganda
However, the Pre-intern doctors launched a nationwide boycott in protest of the Ministry of Health’s move to fire their senior colleagues who have been on strike for the last month.
The pre-intern doctors want the Ministry of Health to pay their senior colleagues or else they will not take up any assignment.
