Following nationwide demonstration by medical graduates regarding the status of their internship and the proposed policy by Ministry of Health to scrap off allowances for medical intern doctors under private sponsorship, Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs (UPFYA) undertook a process of working with the medical intern doctors and other relevant stakeholders to bring a lasting solution to this challenge.
On Thursday 1 st September, 2016 at 10am the Youth Members of Parliament led by the UPFYA Chairperson; Hon. Mwine Mpaka had a closed door meeting with the leaders of the medical interns committee at Parliament to ascertain the issues behind the demonstration but also collectively agree on the way forward.
“Having been a student leader before, I understand the challenges faced by the interns and I am committed to support them,” indicated Hon. Anne Adeke the National Female Youth MP.
A team from UPFYA secretariat later met the Executive Director of Mulago Hospital Dr. Byarugaba Baterana so as to discuss how to wholesomely deal with issues affecting medical interns.
“Internship is an excellent opportunity for these interns. We were all taught the theory in school but gained practical skills during internship.” he added.
Dr. Byaruhanga informed the team that the health ministry had slim budget therefore did not have enough funds to facilitate the medical interns yet their number keeps growing every year and as result the interns’ monthly stipend would have to be revised.
To this extent, the Members of Parliament under Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs yesterday visited Kiruddu Hospital, a department of Mulago National Referral Hospital to assess the impact the absence of medical interns is causing in some of the health facilities in the country. The team which was led by the UPFYA chairperson Hon. Mwine Mpaka (Youth MP- Western region) consisted of Hon. Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga (Kalungu County West MP), Hon. Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju county MP) and Hon. Margret Rwabushaija (Workers’ MP). Given the already existing shortage of medical workers in Uganda, the gap created by not deploying medical interns has worsened this situation.
During the visit to Kiruddu hospital, Prof. Kajimu informed the MPs that sometimes the interns lack even the basic facilities such as gloves and thermometers that are required to do their work because hospitals are poorly funded. Dr. Kabugo Charles, the Ag. Director of the hospital emphasized the relevance of the medical interns.
“We definitely need the interns and they should have come like yesterday because they play a critical role.” he said.
He further informed the MPs that the interns are given preferential treatment when it comes to accommodation facilities because they always want them to be onsite. The hospital on average receives between 500 and 600 patients who can’t be served effectively by the human resource currently available.
“We needed twenty interns but the ministry is willing to give us only nine,” he added.
The Members of Parliament appreciated the good work going on in the hospital and vowed to raise the issue of the medical interns on the floor of Parliament as an issue of national importance when Parliament resumes.
Hon. Mpaka Mwine the Chairperson, UPFYA indicated that government should devise means of finding money to facilitate the interns because they are critically needed if the health sector is to be fully functional.
Internship remains to be a great opportunity for students as they transit to the world of work and therefore government should expedite the process of instituting a National Youth service and Internship scheme so as to address the issues of youth unemployment and also cater for the future human resource needs for our nation.