President Yoweri Museveni has directed that medical interns be paid a monthly allowance of Shs 2.5 million.
In a letter addressed to the prime minister and the ministries of Health, Finance and Public service, Museveni says the medical interns should be paid the money because they work long hours.
In May, the medical interns went on strike accusing the government of not addressing their demands. The interns wanted the government to increase their monthly allowance from Shs 750,000 to Shs 5 million that junior medical officers get. The interns also wanted the government to provide housing for them.
Following several meetings held between representatives of the interns, members of the Uganda Medical Association, ministry of Health officials and the president, the strike was called off in June with the promise that the interns would get a salary increment.
"It was noted that medical interns earn a net pay of Shs 750,000 which is not enough to meet basic needs. It is against this background, that I direct that all medical interns be paid half of the recommended pay of the fully appointed officers in the respective professions starting July 2021. For intern doctors, this should be Shs 2,500,000 i.e. half of the Shs 5,000,000 a medical officer is to earn," the statement reads in part.
The pay increase will also affect graduate nurses, midwives and pharmacists that have all been learning Shs 750,000 monthly. Dr Lillian Mary Nabwire, the president of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns says that the increment will go a long way in improving the lives of intern doctors.
"This was the amount that we agreed upon with the president. It is not the Shs 5 million that we wanted but it is better than what we were getting. Of course, there can never be enough money but from the Shs 750,000 that we have been getting, this money will enable people to at least buy meals and even afford to pay rent in decent places," Nabwire said.
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