Archbishop Kaziimba slams govt over withdrawn medical interns’ allowances

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Most Rev Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, has slammed the government for withdrawing allowances for medical interns, yet it spends billions on luxury.

He pointed out that Uganda's health system has been left at the mercy of medical interns, the same people the government is inconsiderate about their welfare.

He criticised the government's luxurious lifestyle, allocating Shs158 billion to Members of Parliament for purchasing vehicles yet it maintains that it cannot afford Shs28 billion required for the medical interns.

“You cannot say that you have Shs158 billion to purchase cars for Members of Parliament and then claim that you do not have Shs28 billion to pay medical interns’ allowances, with the excuse that it would crush the economy.’’

By the way, doctors are rarely in the hospitals. It is the medical interns who are everywhere doing the donkey work,” Archbishop Kaziimba added.

The decision by the government to scrap the monthly upkeep allowances for medical interns under the new National Education and Training for Health Policy and tasking medical students to complete a mandatory one-year internship before they are awarded their degrees continues to receive criticism from different members of society.

Currently, medical interns are paid a monthly allowance of Shs1 million, down from Shs2.4 million shillings monthly that was initially agreed following a 2021 presidential directive.

The Archbishop was on Sunday speaking during a service at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, to ordain and install seven deacons, one priest, two clergy canons and one lay Canon.

The clergy canons installed include Rev. Dr Henry Majwala, Canon for Administration and Management, and Rev. Emmanuel Kalagala, Canon for Ministerial Formation and Clergy Welfare.

Rev Canon Henry Majwala was installed as the Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Kampala, while Rev. Canon Emmanuel Kalagala is the Archdeacon of Kisugu Archdeaconry in the Diocese of Kampala.

The Provincial Fathers’ Union President, Mr Samuel Bakutana, was installed as Lay Canon for Men’s Ministry.

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