Uganda scraps intern doctor pay, medics demand Sh4 million monthly
The Ugandan government has scrapped monthly allowances for medical interns under a new policy that reclassifies internship as a continuation of training rather than formal employment.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi announced the change in June, days before the 2026/2027 internship term was due to begin. Under the new arrangement, government-sponsored interns will still receive facilitation but no monthly allowance. Interns had previously been receiving around Sh900,000 a month, far below the Sh2.5 million President Museveni had directed in 2021.
Medical interns and doctors have rejected the policy, demanding a monthly allowance of Sh4 million, arguing the amount is what they need to cover accommodation, transport, meals, and other basic costs while serving in health facilities across the country. They are also demanding withdrawal of the new policy and deployment of all eligible graduates.
The standoff has already led to arrests. On August 12, eight medical interns and health workers were detained in Kampala while marching on Parliamentary Avenue in white coats, carrying placards reading “No Pay, No Reporting” and “For the Good of All Ugandans Pay All Medical Interns.” They were charged with causing a nuisance on a public road and remanded to Luzira Prison, with a bail hearing scheduled for Monday, August 17.
The Uganda Medical Internship Committee has meanwhile confirmed the placement of over 2,400 interns to facilities nationwide for the period running August 2026 to July 2027, drawn from Makerere, Busitema, Mbarara, Soroti, Lira, Gulu, and Kampala International Universities.
This is not the first time medical interns in Uganda have clashed with authorities over pay. Similar protests and arrests have recurred since at least 2021, with police repeatedly intercepting marches before they reach Parliament.
