Over 1,400 medical interns who are working in 42 hospitals across the country have announced a sit-down strike over low pay and poor working conditions.
The interns, who claim they handle about 80 per cent of patients in the hospitals, are made up of doctors, graduate nurses, dental surgeons and pharmacists who hold provisional practising licences from their professional bodies.
Announcing the start of the strike, the Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) said government should increase monthly remuneration from Shs750,000 to Shs3 million for doctors and pharmacists.
They also demand that the remuneration for graduate nurses should be increased from Shs750,000 to Shs2.2 million.
The FUMI said their demand is in line with the 2019 recommendation by the Parliament Health Committee, but that Finance ministry has been ignoring their demand even in the 2021/2022 financial year.
The Health Ministry spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona asked the interns to be patient and continue serving their patients who desperately need their care.
“We acknowledge the demand but the funds required to meet it are not within our budget. We have already raised the issue to government structures and it is being handled. We appeal to the medical interns to put patience first and continue offering their service to the patients especially during these Covid-19 times,” he said.