A document circulating widely on social media, claiming to announce scholarships under the Uganda Reproductive Maternal and Child Health Services Improvement Project (URMCHIP), has been declared fake by the Ministry of Health.
The document, written on the Ministry of Health headed paper and titled “Announcement of Scholarships,” alleges that the government, with support from the World Bank and the Global Financing Facility, is offering scholarships to Ugandans pursuing Diploma, Bachelor’s, or Master’s programmes in various health-related fields.
According to the letter, the scholarships would cover tuition and research in disciplines such as Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Public Health, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiography.
It further claims applicants must be Ugandans, sign a bonding agreement with the Ministry of Public Service, and commit to working in hard-to-reach areas upon completion of their studies. The poster also sets 15th October 2025 as the application deadline.
The Ministry of Health has dismissed the announcement, confirming it is not genuine. In a stamped rebuttal shared on its official platforms, the ministry warned the public to disregard the notice, stressing that no such scholarship call has been issued.
Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, also posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) account, writing:
“Please ignore these fake adverts and the corresponding demands for bribes to secure jobs. This specific project already ended and there is currently no such recruitment. Kindly share this information with others so they are not conned.”
A closer look at the poster reveals several inconsistencies pointing to forgery:
The letter contains grammatical errors and incomplete sentences, such as “Application should be sent electro.”
It lacks an authorised signature, reference number, and official contact information, all of which are standard in government communications.
The application process is vague, providing no clear portal, email, or submission address.
The Ministry of Health has urged Ugandans to verify all scholarship or recruitment opportunities through its official website and verified social media channels before taking action.
The so-called URMCHIP scholarship announcement is therefore false and misleading.
RATING: FAKE