Museveni directs government  to implement pay rise for medical interns

President Museveni has written to the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja directing him to implement the issue of salary enhancement for medical interns around the country.

In an August, 9, 20201 letter, Museveni said that owing to an earlier meeting with the leadership of the Uganda Medical Association and the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns but also attended by officials from the Health Ministry and their counterparts from finance, it was agreed that government does something to increase the payment for medical interns.

“It was noted that medical interns earn a net pay of shs750,000 which is not enough to meet basic needs. Most of them are not housed and live in rented unsafe locations distant from the training hospitals and have to buy their own food yet they work 24/7 and have no time to cook. It is against this background that I recommended that all medical interns be paid half of the recommended pay of the fully appointed officers in the respective professions,” Museveni said in the letter.

“In this regard, I am therefore directing you to implement this resolution in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Finance."

According to the president the graduate nurses, midwives and pharmacists should also earn half of the recommended pay of the respective officers.

Uganda has over 14000 medical interns working in 42 hospitals across the country but on several occasions have laid down tools over pay.

The interns who include doctors, graduate nurses, dental surgeons, and pharmacists say they handle over 80 percent of the patients

Intern doctors and pharmacists currently earn shs750,000 but according to the president’s directive, they will now earn shs2.5 million which is half of the shs5 million earned by the fully appointed doctors.

While meeting the group in June at State House in Entebbe, President Museveni reiterated the government’s commitment to salary enhancement for medical practitioners and other scientists.

The president said by paying the scientists well, government will ensure the country retains them since they are crucial for the development and sustainability of the economy.