The Federation of Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI) has given the government 10 days to issue a public statement confirming the immediate suspension of the National Employment and Training (NETH) Policy, describing the proposed framework as detrimental to the welfare of health professionals.
Addressing journalists at Mulago National Referral Hospital on Tuesday, Dr. Ssegonga Silver, the Head of Pre-Interns, said the policy was developed without adequate consultation with key stakeholders and would subject prospective medical interns to what he described as “modern-day slavery.”
Dr. Silver said FUMI is a legally registered body representing more than 2,000 medical doctors, dental surgeons, nurses, midwives and pharmacists undertaking internship training in 73 hospitals across the country.
He criticized the government’s plan to deploy the 2026/2027 cohort of medical interns without first addressing concerns over intern welfare or providing a long-term solution to recurring deployment backlogs.
According to Dr. Silver, the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the policy has created anxiety among prospective interns, who are seeking clarity on their training conditions and facilitation.
FUMI warned that if the government fails to issue a public statement suspending the NETH Policy within 10 days, the federation will mobilize its members to undertake further action, although it did not specify the measures it intends to pursue.
The government had not responded to the federation’s demands by the time of publication.
By Charles Katabalwa
21st July 2026
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