Medical interns’ march to Parliament foiled

The interns from different universities in the country had intended to present their petition to the Speaker Anita Among or her deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

“We have conducted many dialogues with different stakeholders, but yielded nothing hence our resolve to march to Parliament to ask the Speaker to pass a supplementary budget of Shs18.7 billion for our deployment and allowances,” said one of the interns, Mr Alex Lwesabula. 
Security personnel at Parliament premises instructed the interns to go back and find alternative approaches besides peaceful protests.

“Even yesterday we wrote to them requesting for an opportunity to sit in the gallery but all was in vain,” another intern, Joseph Odon Socrates said.

Another intern doctor, Ezekiel Ssekyondwa, said: “we are the parliament that when we come to talk to you, it does not mean we have committed any crime, you are our representatives and don’t make parliament something inaccessible for the public. We came in peace but they have denied us access.”

Dr Joel Mirembe, secretary general Uganda Medical Association (UMA) said yesterday that Ministry of Health had opted to deploy only 1,263 interns leaving about 1,207 intern doctors with no placements.

During Tuesday’s plenary session at Parliament, some MPs, including the deputy Speaker wondered whether the interns could be deployed without being paid allowances.  
"Whatever explanation we are giving, there is no single fault on the side of the (medical) intern, so, the intern can’t do anything about our excuses, rotating, about our poor planning. The intern is saying, please, I need to complete my education. Facilitate me to meet your requirement, me, I am available, it is you who requires, if you don’t, you can even waive it off and you leave me to practise as a doctor. It is you who is setting conditions but denying me opportunity to fulfill your condition. So what are those conditions for?" Mr Tayebwa said.

"We need to start thinking outside the box and start debating these issues. If people are willing, I am sure as Government we should go and make those facilities available the cost can be met. When you look at the number, it isn’t so much. I think it is Shs18 bilion. I think we can sit down and rationalize some of our own. This issue of supplementary budget, it is very easy to say supplementary budget, but the money to fund the supplementary budget must be found somewhere. Even the fuel refund is an option. As Executive, we need to go back and make a policy to allow those who can meet their own cost," the Attorney General, Kiwanuka Kiryowa said.

However, Mawogola South MP, Gorreth Namugga wondered why the government would fail to facilitate intern doctors yet Parliament in the new budget gave Roko Construction Company Shs300 billion, Dei Pharmaceutical Shs500 billion.

"There is a classified budget under State House and Office of President of close to Shs500 billion. In the interest of having continuity and stopping this challenge, let us look for this Shs18 billion. The same Ministry of Health had arrears of Shs80 bilion and we agreed to reduce the allowances of medical interns from Shs2.5 million to Shs1 million and we have failed to pay the Shs1 million," she said.

State Minister of Health -General Duties, Anifa Kawooya asked for time to allow the Ministry of Health to table before Parliament their strategic plan on how to solve the medical internship issue once and for all.
Additional information by Parliament Watch