The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has opposed a directive by the Ministry of Health requiring medical interns to report to their designated duty stations or hospitals by August 14, or risk losing their internship placements.

On August 6, the Ministry of Health issued the ultimatum to medical interns without withdrawing the disputed National Internship Policy or guaranteeing equal allowances for government- and privately sponsored interns.

Speaking at the FDC offices in Kampala, the party’s Deputy President for Western Uganda, Robert Centenary, called on the government to withdraw the ultimatum.

Centenary instead urged the government to provide a written commitment guaranteeing equal facilitation and allowances for all medical interns, warning that sending interns to work without adequate facilitation could put both patients and interns at risk.

The FDC is also calling for a Shs35.7 billion supplementary budget to facilitate medical interns.

The party says Shs24 billion of the required funding could be obtained from savings made by suspending public holiday functions.

By Olivia Nabaggala