Medical interns threaten to strike over poor working conditions

Medical interns in pharmacy, nursing and midwifery departments have given the government an ultimatum of 72 days to listen and provide a remedy to their grievances or else they lay down their tools.

In this, the interns want the Ministry of Health to implement the Presidential directive of promptly paying them the monthly allowance of up to Shs 2.5 million.

In a statement, Dr. Musa Lumumba ,the president of Federation of Uganda Medical Intern (FUMI) said for the months of September and October, medical interns haven't been paid their allowances, even after being informed that the Ministry of Finance released monies around 21 of October.

"We are in a horrible situation, as it's those allowances that enable us to afford food, water, shelter, clothing among others, which are our basic needs," he said.

Lumumba said the starving mental and physiological state of their members is devoid of the professional ability to continue to serve humanity in healthcare settings.

On June 1 2021 President Museveni met a delegation from FUMI, Uganda Medical Association and Elders Forum among and he expressed discontent about the welfare conditions of internship training.

He directed that medical intern be paid half of the "recommended pay of the fully appointed officers in their respective professional fields."

Lumumba said that its progressive to see that, intern doctors and dental surgeons now earn Shs 2.5 million, intern pharmacists earn Shs 2 million and intern nurses and midwives earn Shs 1.5 million.

However, he noted that a medical officer/dental surgeon / pharmacist earns Shs 5.4 million, therefore, they expect allowances for intern doctors, dental surgeons and pharmacists to be Shs 2.7 million.

"For the intern nurses and midwives, their senior equivalents earn Shs 4.8 million however, until today, our intern nurses and midwives have unjustifiably been paid a mere Shs 1.5 million. With 30% taxation, their take home has been Shs 1.05 million," he said.