- Voices of protest over medical interns’ deployment grow
- Demand for healthcare workers in health facilities remains high
- Parliament intervenes, tasking health minister to find solution
A group of medical interns from various universities in Uganda on Friday gathered outside the Ministry of Health Headquarters in that country with intent of peaceful marching to meet the officials about their delayed deployment. However, security operatives barred their entry, prompting chants of “we want deployment.”
Some pre-medical interns are seeking an audience with Uganda’s Health Ministry, claiming that the central government has not addressed their concerns regarding internship deployment, as some were left off the deployment list released on Monday this week.
In past two years voices of protest have continued to grow over failure to deploy medical interns in the East African country, with the Government citing diminished funding, yet the demand for healthcare workers remains high.
The country’s Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has reportedly intervened in the delayed deployment of medical interns, urging Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng to explain the reasons behind the delay and provide a solution.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), as of 2021 Uganda had has 1.58 medical doctors for 10,000 people less than one pharmacist per 10,000 people and 16.99 nurses and midwives per 10,000 people, which is below the WHO recommended doctor to patient ratio of 1: 10,000 1,000.
Source: Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda
