President Museveni Proposes Funding for Medical Interns Amid Financial Constraints

President Museveni suggested that the sponsor who supported a student through medical school should continue to do so during their internship.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has acknowledged that the Ugandan government currently lacks sufficient funds to support medical interns. As a solution, the President has proposed that the individual or entity that sponsored the medical student's education should also fund their internship.

"Who pays for the internship? Some people are saying that the government must pay, but I think that is risky because the government would pay if it had money, but it doesn’t have enough money since it has a lot of things to do like roads, security, etc. I don’t think it is okay to tie the future of our young doctors to government funding because it may delay or it may not be there," President Museveni remarked during a lecture delivered on Saturday, 24th August 2024, at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi.

The lecture was attended by 210 post-medical interns who had just completed a 10-day patriotism and ideological training program. The President’s proposal comes at a time when many medical interns are facing delays in starting their internships due to the government's inability to release necessary funds.

President Museveni suggested that the sponsor who supported a student through medical school should continue to do so during their internship. "Why don’t we agree that a person who has qualified as a medical doctor after five years in medical school continues with the internship, but with sponsorship from the person who sponsored them in the first place? What is the problem? If someone was sponsoring you for five years, why do they stop now?" he questioned.

The President also addressed the need for sufficient supervisors for the interns, suggesting that the government must hire enough consultants to oversee the internship program. "If we do this, I think it will make the work much easier. That is my proposal; you go and think about it," he added.

During the lecture, President Museveni also shared insights on the history and ideological foundations of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), comparing the diagnosis of political needs to medical diagnosis. He explained that the NRM was born out of the need to address the fundamental issues of prosperity and strategic security in Uganda, concepts that the old political parties had failed to adequately address.

He further elaborated on the importance of patriotism, Pan-Africanism, and socio-economic transformation as pillars of Uganda's development. Museveni emphasized that prosperity is achieved through producing goods and services and selling them, both domestically and internationally, with the broader African market playing a crucial role.

On the issue of socio-economic transformation, the President highlighted the need for education and the creation of wealth through commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT. He called on the medical professionals to support efforts to increase the health budget to create more positions in health centers, ensuring greater absorption of medical graduates.

The President also encouraged the interns to consider joining the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) or the police, noting that their youth and energy would be valuable assets to these institutions.

Ms. Hellen Seku, Head of the Patriotism Secretariat, was praised by President Museveni and Minister for Presidency Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda for her active role in organizing the successful training program for post-medical interns. Brig. Gen. Charles Kisembo, Director of NALI, commended the interns for their commitment and expressed hope that they would contribute positively to Uganda’s future.

The post-medical interns, represented by Mr. David Mugyema, expressed gratitude to President Museveni for his transformative leadership and the improvements in Uganda’s health sector. Mugyema affirmed their readiness to serve as agents of socio-economic transformation in Uganda.