Medical interns crisis: A sign of systemic failure?

In an act that can only be described as reckless and devoid of compassion, President Museveni recently delivered a staggering blow to Uganda’s healthcare system by declaring that intern doctors will now have to sponsor themselves. 

This cold decision effectively puts Uganda’s healthcare on life support, leaving millions of citizens in a state of uncertainty. 

It is a cruel betrayal of the very professionals who form the backbone of our health infrastructure, and an indictment of a government that has not only lost its way but is systematically failing its citizens across all sectors.

The government’s decision to abandon intern doctors is more than just a policy failure—it’s a moral collapse that reflects a deeper, systemic issue within the Ugandan government. Refusing to allocate the modest sum of Shs18b—a mere drop in the ocean of national expenditure. 

President Museveni’s administration is sending a clear and disturbing message: the health of Ugandans is not worth the investment. This is not just a shameful admission of failure; it’s a brutal reminder that the priorities of this government are misguided, and that this failure is not isolated to the healthcare sector but is symptomatic of a broader collapse in governance.

Let’s put this into perspective, Shs18b is a trivial amount when compared to the vast sums that are routinely spent on less critical endeavours. Yet, this administration claims it cannot find the funds to support the very individuals who are trained to save lives. How can we trust a government that is so eager to turn its back on those who hold the keys to our future?

The consequences of this decision will be nothing short of catastrophic, and they mirror the broader issues plaguing the entire government.

Forcing intern doctors to bear the financial burden of their training is not only unjust but also erects insurmountable barriers for bright, young individuals from less privileged backgrounds.

This will undoubtedly worsen the already glaring disparities in our medical field, leading to an even more severe shortage of qualified professionals, especially in the rural and underserved areas where they are needed most.

The rural clinics and hospitals, already struggling with limited resources, will become ghost towns as the few remaining medical professionals flee to urban centres or even out of the country, seeking better opportunities. This scenario is a microcosm of the broader governmental failures seen in sectors like education, infrastructure, and energy.

But the implications of this decision extend far beyond the healthcare sector. If the government is unwilling or unable to prioritise the health of its citizens, what does that say about its commitment to other critical areas? If we cannot muster the funds for life-saving projects, how can we possibly hope to build better roads, improve electricity access, or enhance our education system? It is painfully obvious that if we have failed to protect and support our interns—the future of our medical profession—we have failed as a nation, plain and simple. This is not just about healthcare; this is about a government that has failed in its fundamental duty to provide for its people.

It’s time for this administration to take a hard look in the mirror and reassess its priorities. It is time for the government to recognise that investing in healthcare is not just a financial obligation—it is a moral imperative. If we cannot find it within ourselves to support the doctors who will save our lives, then we have lost more than just our way—we have lost our humanity. And if we have failed in healthcare, we have failed in everything.

The health of our people is the foundation upon which all other progress is built. If we fail to protect that, then no amount of investment in roads, electricity, or schools will matter, because a nation that does not value life is a nation that is already dead and buried.

Wilfred A Nsheeka  is the LC5 male youth councilor for Rubanda District.