The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has welcomed the granting of bail to eight doctors detained in connection with the ongoing dispute over medical interns’ deployment, but says the fight for better working conditions is far from over.
UMA Vice President Dr Wilberforce Kabweru said the association was pleased that the eight doctors had been released on bail by Uganda Road Court, describing the development as a source of relief to the medical fraternity. The interns were remanded on Friday last week for being public nuisance and disrupting traffic contrary to section 67(1)e and 1(a)of the Road Act Cap 346.
It is alleged by prosecution that the accused on August 12, along Parliamentary avenue, disrupted traffic when they held placards reading ‘say no to neth policy’, ‘No pay, no reporting’, ‘For the good of all Ugandans, pay medical interns ‘. According to the presiding Magistrate acts threatened to cause danger and inconvenience traffic.
However, Kabweru said the bail does not end the concerns that led to the current standoff between medical professionals and government.
He said UMA will continue engaging government to ensure that medical interns are given proper and meaningful contracts before they are required to report to their duty stations.
According to Kabweru, the contracts issued to interns did not provide adequate clarity on the terms and conditions under which they were expected to work.
He said the absence of clear commitments, particularly regarding financial support, has made it difficult for some interns to confidently take up their placements.
Kabweru argued that medical interns, like any other workers, require resources to enable them to report to their workplaces and carry out their duties.
He said government should clearly state what support will be provided, including allowances and other resources necessary for interns to secure accommodation, food and transport.
“If they give us that contract without any terms, it means we can as well just walk away,” Kabweru said,
He stressed the need for government to make clear and binding commitments.
He said a contract should not simply require interns to report for work without spelling out the obligations of the employer and the support available to the interns.
Kabweru further urged government to take the matter to Parliament so that legislators can debate the concerns surrounding the internship arrangements and make a clear decision.
He said the association wants a solution that will allow the affected doctors to report to duty with certainty about their welfare and working conditions.
Kabweru said this would ultimately benefit patients because doctors would be able to concentrate on providing medical care rather than worrying about how they will meet basic living expenses.
The UMA official said the association remains ready to negotiate with government and find a lasting solution to the dispute.
He stressed that while the granting of bail had brought relief, it was only one part of the broader issue, with the association still demanding meaningful action on the contracts and welfare of medical interns.
UMA’s position comes amid continued pressure over the deployment of medical interns, whose services are critical to hospitals and other health facilities across the country.
Kabweru said the association hopes government will reconsider its position and address the concerns so that the affected doctors can return to work under clear and fair conditions.
On Wednesday, August 12, after Opposition Leader Joel Ssenyonyi raised concerns over the ongoing dispute between government and medical interns.
Ssenyonyi told Parliament that doctors and medical interns across the country could go on strike if government fails to resolve the issue of their facilitation.
He said he had received a letter from the President of the Uganda Medical Association warning stakeholders of a planned industrial action if the government does not address the concerns within 14 days.
The dispute follows government’s decision to scrap the Shs1 million payment previously provided to each medical student undertaking internship.
The Health Minister Dr., Chris Baryomunsi responded in the house, urging interns not to disregard their deployments on account of the government’s policy. He threatened that medical interns who fail to report to their assigned duty stations by Saturday, August 15, 2026, risk losing their internship placements.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa urged the Minister to speed up the consultations and give Parliament a clear position on the matter.
Tayebwa asked Baryomunsi to take the issue to Cabinet on Monday and return to Parliament with a final position on Tuesday.
Under Uganda’s medical education and internship policy, medical students must complete a mandatory supervised clinical internship before they can receive their university degrees.
