Intern doctors threaten to suspend emergency services over unpaid allowances

12 December 2025, 10:49 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The standoff between intern medical doctors and the Ministry of Health has escalated after the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns threatened to withdraw all emergency services across the 74 hospitals where they are stationed. The warning was issued on Thursday during a meeting held in Kampala.

Dr Jacob Mwadha, president of the federation, said the interns have repeatedly tried to engage the Ministry of Health over unresolved issues regarding their allowances, but their efforts have yielded no results.

“Two months ago we approached the Ministry of Health to discuss how best to resolve this challenge. Intern medical doctors have a constitutional right to receive allowances and salaries. Scrapping allowances on the grounds that it is double payment is unacceptable, because the ministry is well aware that even Members of Parliament are entitled to both allowances and salaries,” Dr Mwadha said.

He added that during their last national meeting, the interns’ leadership gave the ministry ten days to respond. When the deadline expired on 9 December, they resolved to commence industrial action from 10 December and vowed to continue until the ministry takes action.

According to Dr Mwadha, some interns have remained at their duty stations to handle emergency cases out of concern for patients’ lives. However, he warned that if no intervention is made by Sunday, interns will also withdraw from emergency duties.

The federation appealed directly to President Yoweri Museveni to intervene, reminding him that his earlier directive to increase their salaries has yet to be implemented.

Dr Joseph Atuha, vice-president of the federation, reiterated that intern doctors are entitled to both salaries and allowances, emphasising that this is not illegal, contrary to claims by the ministry. He stressed that the leadership will not relent in advocating for better welfare for interns.

Also present at the meeting were Dr Kayondo Derrick, Chief Resident, and Dr Daniel Bwabule, Deputy Representative of COSECSA Residents. Both urged the government to take the matter seriously, emphasising that intern doctors play a critical role in both public and private health facilities.

Interns have long faced challenges with the Ministry of Health, including during deployment processes. Many qualified doctors leave the country after completing their internship in search of better opportunities, exacerbating the shortage of medical professionals in Uganda.

By press time, the Ministry of Health had not issued any formal response to the demands of the medical interns.