Ministry of health reverses policy, restores monthly allowance for medical interns

19 August 2026, 11:12 am

By Frank Oyugi

LIRA / KAMPALA — The Ministry of Health has officially confirmed that the government has reversed its decision regarding medical intern facilitation, fully restoring a monthly net allowance of Shs 1 million for all deployed interns across the country.

Speaking on the Yite Twolo morning talk back program broadcast on Oroma TV and Qfm 94.3 FM, Senior Public Relations Officer Emmanuel Ainebyona explained that Cabinet rescinded its earlier proposal under the National Education and Training for Health policy following widespread stakeholder engagements. The Ministry noted that the decision reflects a government that listens to its young health professionals and prioritizes maintaining stability within the health sector.

Under the finalized Cabinet directive, all 2,490 medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and graduate nurses deployed across 77 accredited internship centers nationwide will receive a uniform gross monthly facilitation of Shs 1,268,929. This translates to a net pay of Shs 1 million after standard tax deductions. Notably, Cabinet suspended the controversial proposal that sought to differentiate between government-sponsored and privately sponsored graduates, ensuring equal financial facilitation for all deployed interns.

Furthermore, Cabinet scrapped the directive that required students to complete an internship before graduating. Medical students will continue to graduate upon fulfilling their university academic requirements before proceeding to clinical internship placements as post-graduates. To establish long-term solutions, the Ministry of Health was tasked with developing a comprehensive Health Workforce Policy to present to Cabinet within six months. This study will evaluate long-term graduate absorption plans and explore exempting health workers’ salaries from income tax, similar to provisions granted to security forces.

Addressing regional health coverage and service delivery at facilities such as Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Ainebyona urged all deployed interns to report immediately to their assigned centers to avert clinical disruptions. He commended the interns for their constructive engagement with Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi and encouraged them to use the internship phase to complete their training toward becoming fully licensed healthcare professionals.