KAMPALA, Uganda — Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced that the government will review a controversial health training policy that would have cut off state allowances for privately sponsored medical interns.
The policy shift follows widespread pushback from medical student associations, health workers and professional bodies. The tension mounted with just one month left before the next cohort of medical graduates begins their mandatory one-year placements.
Speaking during a radio program, Baryomunsi said he will engage President Yoweri Museveni to review the cabinet position. He argued that all medical interns must continue to receive state facilitation, regardless of whether they studied under government or private sponsorship.
Baryomunsi noted that medical internships involve demanding workloads and long hours that make it impossible for trainees to support themselves without financial assistance. Recalling his own experience as an intern, he said he often spent more than 24 hours on duty handling emergencies, maternity cases and ward responsibilities.
He added that both Vice President Jessica Alupo and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja have raised concerns about the policy in Parliament and called for an immediate re-evaluation.
The debate stems from a cabinet discussion on the National Education and Training for Health Policy, which classified medical internship as part of a student’s academic training rather than employment. In Uganda, an internship is a mandatory one-year apprenticeship for doctors, pharmacists and nurses before they receive full licenses to practice independently. During this period, interns provide essential clinical services under the supervision of senior consultants in national and regional referral hospitals.
Cabinet originally moved to cut funding due to the rapid growth in the number of medical schools and graduates across the country. Baryomunsi noted that while only Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology trained doctors in the past, numerous universities now produce health workers, creating sustainability challenges for the national budget.
The issue has highlighted inter-ministerial friction. Outgoing Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng urged Baryomunsi to handle the matter with urgency during the recent ministry handover ceremony, noting that the controversial policy paper originated from the Ministry of Education and Sports rather than the Ministry of Health.
Before the government’s reassessment, incoming interns and medical students had threatened industrial action, warning they would refuse to report for duty if the allowances were scrapped.
Amos Nkwasiibwe, president of the Federation of Uganda Medical Students’ Associations, welcomed the decision to review the policy, stating that the government should not segregate interns because all graduates serve the nation equally.
The Uganda Medical Association also welcomed the development and called for broader stakeholder consultations. Dr. Ekwaro Obuku, a physician and health policy expert, said the controversy reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the critical role interns play in keeping Uganda’s public healthcare system functional. Obuku proposed placing intern allowances directly under the Ministry of Health wage bill and aligning their pay with entry-level medical officers in the public service.
