Eronda
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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The Ugandan government has announced the scrapping off of monthly allowances for medical interns, as part of a broader reform integrating the one-year supervised internship into university degree programs.
The policy, approved by Cabinet in 2024 and jointly developed by the Ministries of Health and Education, will require medical students to complete internship before graduating. As a result, internship will now become part of the academic programme, extending medical training to six years.
Health Minister-designate Dr. Chris Baryomunsi defended the policy, citing the sharp rise in the number of health professional graduates from both public and private universities.
Dr, Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Health
“Internship is a skills-building training period, not employment,” Baryomunsi stated. The reform aims to eliminate discrimination in access to internship placements caused by limited resources, allowing all qualified graduates from public and private institutions to undertake supervised training without the previous financial constraints.
Under the new National Education and Training for Health Policy, medical, pharmacy, and nursing students will no longer receive their degrees until they complete the mandatory one-year internship. The policy, developed jointly by the Ministries of Health and Education, takes effect from July 2026.
For years, the internship allowance has served as a lifeline for young doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and other health professionals undertaking intensive hospital rotations.
Many interns work long hours, including overnight shifts, emergency duties, and weekend schedules, often away from their homes and families.
