During the financial year budget of 2023/2014, the government allocated Shs 22.9 billion to cover the allowances of medical interns and senior house officers.
However, on June 22, 2023, the Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, clarified that the released funds were not intended for the deployment of the 1,901 pre-medical interns. Instead, the allocated amount was meant to pay arrears owed to the 935 interns who had completed their internship in April of the same year.
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Dr. Aceng explained that an additional budget of Shs 80.4 billion was required to deploy the remaining 1,901 interns. The Ministry of Finance had provided Shs 8 billion for interns and Shs 2 billion for senior house officers, but due to the lack of sufficient funds, the deployment of interns had been put on hold.
In response, Dr. Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, advised pre-medical interns who could afford it to apply at various health centers of their choice, with the possibility of reimbursement if the necessary funds were later made available.
A spot check conducted at Mulago national referral hospital on July 4, 2023, revealed the severe impact of the delayed deployment of medical interns and doctors on service delivery.
The hospital was overcrowded, with patients and caregivers filling various departments in search of healthcare services. The limited number of beds and spaces in the Emergency ward led to patients waiting on verandas and even sleeping on the floor.
The workload on doctors was overwhelming, and concerns were raised about cleanliness and hygiene, with incidents indicating a risk of infections being transmitted.
To address the challenges, the hospital management deployed private security guards at the entrances to enhance security.
However, the situation remained critical, as the absence of interns created a significant gap in tasks such as bed cleaning.
The delayed deployment had a severe impact on service delivery, leading to overcrowding, compromised hygiene, and an overwhelming workload for doctors. Urgent measures were needed to ensure the provision of quality healthcare services.
Doctors interviewed for the story expressed their concerns about the need for medical interns and the impact of their delayed deployment.
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They emphasized the importance of interns in reducing the workload and providing practical training.
The doctors urged the Ministry of Health to prioritize the deployment of medical interns and suggested allocating a supplementary budget to address the current challenges faced by healthcare facilities.
The delayed deployment also resulted in an overwhelming number of patients, inadequate compensation for doctors, and a decline in the quality of services provided.
The shortage of human resources in public health facilities increased the mortality rate and put a strain on overworked doctors, leading to potential misdiagnoses and compromised surgical services.
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