Uganda’s medical interns and healthcare professionals have appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to intervene in proposed reforms to medical education and internship training, warning that the changes could increase the cost of training, delay graduation, and worsen existing workforce challenges in the health sector.

Medical interns and healthcare students have raised concern over proposed reforms to Uganda’s medical education and internship training system, which are being championed by the Ministries of Health and Education and Sports.

The proposed changes would integrate the mandatory one-year clinical internship into undergraduate medical training, effectively extending most medical degree programs to six years. The reforms also propose ending the government internship allowance currently paid to medical interns.

During an exclusive interview, the president of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns, Dr. Jacob Mwadha, called on the government to suspend the reforms and engage stakeholders in wider consultations before any final decision is made.

Dr. Mwadha argued that the proposed changes could have far-reaching consequences on medical training and healthcare service delivery if implemented without adequate stakeholder input.

The interns further expressed concern over proposals requiring students or their sponsors to finance an additional year of internship training.

According to Dr. Mwadha, such a move would significantly increase the cost of medical education, yet interns already provide essential healthcare services in government hospitals during their training.

Brian Tumwebaze, a final-year nursing student at Makerere University and former Chairperson of the Makerere University Nursing Students Association, described the proposed reforms as unfair to both current and future medical students.

Tumwebaze also criticized plans to remove internship allowances, arguing that medical interns play a critical role in patient care and should be adequately supported while serving in health facilities.

These also questioned the continued payment of one million shillings to interns, saying it falls below the previously announced presidential commitment of 2.5 million shillings.

Medical interns warned that if their concerns are not addressed, they may be left with no option but to consider industrial action, although they emphasized that dialogue remains their preferred approach.

Dr. Mwadha further revealed that some interns have reportedly not received their allowances despite having signed deployment contracts with government health facilities.

Interns maintain that they form a critical part of Uganda’s healthcare workforce, particularly in government and regional referral hospitals where they handle a significant share of day-to-day patient care under the supervision of senior medical officers.

Responding to the concerns, the newly appointed Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, pledged to review the proposals and undertake further consultations before any final decisions are made.

He appealed to medical interns and students to remain calm as the government evaluates the concerns raised.

Medical interns serve as frontline healthcare providers in accredited hospitals across Uganda, taking patient histories, managing ward rounds, responding to emergencies, and assisting in clinical procedures while working toward full professional licensure.

As debate over the proposed reforms continues, stakeholders are calling for a balanced approach that strengthens medical training while safeguarding the welfare of future healthcare professionals and ensuring continued delivery of quality health services.