Health Ministry needs extra Shs18 billion for interns

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | This revelation was contained in a statement to the House by the Minister of State for Health (General duties), Anifa Kawooya on Tuesday, 06 August 2024.

Kawooya said that a total of 2,706 medical interns are eligible for deployment but only 1,500 have been placed across the 73 internship centres for a period of one year.

She noted that luck of adequate funding to the ministry which received only Shs35 billion and yet a total of Shs18 billion is required to deploy all the interns.

“According to the ministry’s internship training guideline, one specialist supervises four medical interns to ensure effective knowledge transfer and skills development”, she said adding that, ’consideration has been made for dental surgeons and pharmacists’.

Legislators disagreed with the minister on deploying only government sponsored students arguing that even the private sponsored ones must be deployed.

Mawogola County South Member of Parliament, Namugga Goreth insisted that government finds the Shs18 billion that is needed for the medical interns.

She emphasized that if entities like Roko could be budgeted for, then money could be availed for the interns. “In the interest of continuity, let us find the Shs18 billion. Let us look into the classified budget. Even if it means getting the money from State House”, she said.

Koboko Municipality MP, Dr. Charles Ayume  agreed with Namugga and urged the ministry to urgently find money to pay the interns.

“We find money and pay the interns and we reset the clock to zero”, he said.

Kabale Municipality MP, Hon. Kamara Nicholas stressed the need for regulation.

“Some universities recommend 100 students but graduate 300 students. How is that possible?”, he asked.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa who chaired the sitting suggested that the ministry considers the option of allowing private students to be deployed without pay, especially if they are willing to meet the costs.

The minister pledged to find solutions by looking into funding and recruiting more specialist supervisors and opening up more internship training centres.

Kawooya added that the Ministry will coordinate with the Ministries of Finance and Education for a lasting solution to the problems of interns.

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SOURCE: Uganda Parliament