The leader of opposition (LOP) Mathias Mpuuga has expressed dissatisfaction with the status of health services in government hospitals across the country.

While addressing a press conference on Friday, June 16, 2023, at Parliament, Mpuuga stressed that he will continue giving the status of health care services provided by various government hospitals on his country wide tour.

Mpuuga and his team visited various health facilities like Buvuma health center lV which he said is understaffed, with a single incubator and being shared by two babies.

He said that the health workers are stressed over none payment for long, Masaka general hospital was congested, Kawolo hospital lacked basic laboratory equipment like ultra sound machines while Entebbe Hospital has got only 16% of the staffing level.

“Health workers not being paid is violating people’s rights. They are humans and have responsibilities, also have loans, have no access to the iron sheets scandals and all they have are the skills to present to the population, and these faculties are for public good,” Mpuuga said.

LOP said that, health workers not being paid for three months  is intimidating to  them, and assured the government that he will continue with visiting hospitals and making survey on their conditions.

Mpuuga said that it is the responsibility of any serious administration to make sure that public goods are provided in the areas of education and security and that the government leaders have to fulfill all of these obligations.

He further said that in all the facilities especially the referral hospitals, there are no medical interns because the NRM regime has not budgeted for them in the financial year 2023/2024,

Mpuuga added that four months after internship, medical interns are not deployed anywhere, adding that, the Permanent Secretary impractically says that they can enrolled them.

Mpuuga said that it is compulsory under law for all medical interns to under go internship.

“The issue of medical interns is mandatory under law and I advise medical interns through Uganda Medical Association (UMA) that if the private interns come, you should not supervise them since it is a betrayal to those who are at home,” Mpuuga stated.

However, according to Mpuuga, UMA must be in position to protect its juniors by law and there is no private space for the deployment of private medical interns. He added that there are gaps in the health centers and 60% of most hospitals have medical interns working.

However, the issue of medical interns has been resolved by the government in the budget where 22 billion shillings has been provided in the meantime to clear their outstanding arrears.