The Uganda Medical Association has given the government 14 days to resolve concerns over the deployment and welfare of medical interns, warning that doctors will begin nationwide industrial action if the dispute remains unresolved.
UMA president Dr Frank Asiimwe said the association’s Extraordinary General Assembly, attended by about 4,500 doctors from Uganda and the diaspora, backed the planned action.
The association said it was acting in solidarity with medical interns who have remained at home amid uncertainty over their deployment, pay and ability to meet living costs during their mandatory one-year internship.
UMA is demanding a monthly allowance of Shs4 million for interns, paid consistently throughout the training period.
“Medical interns are not students. They are qualified doctors, simply undergoing a mandatory one-year supervised practice,” Dr Asiimwe said.
The association said 2,417 eligible interns should be deployed to accredited facilities without discrimination or withdrawal of deployment orders.
It also called for the release of outstanding payments owed to more than 300 interns, residents and fellows who it said have not been paid since July 2025 despite holding government contracts.
UMA said emergency and other essential life-saving services would continue during any industrial action. However, it warned that doctors could act before the 14-day deadline if interns face punitive measures for refusing to report to facilities.
The association is also seeking increased health-sector funding, the lifting of the recruitment ban, resolution of salary discrepancies and promotion concerns affecting medical officers.
