“It’s absurd that a government can easily fund bloggers who offer no essential public service, while medical interns must constantly fight to be recognized and supported,” she said.
The National Unity Platform’s Kawempe South councillor-elect at the Kampala Capital City Authority, Dr. Shamim Nambasa, has criticized the government for allegedly prioritizing funding for bloggers while failing to facilitate medical interns who play a crucial role in the country’s healthcare system.
Dr. Nambasa said medical interns contribute more than 60 percent of the workforce that keeps hospitals functioning across the country. According to her, expecting them to continue working without pay puts both the interns and the healthcare system under severe strain.
“Medical interns support over 60 percent of our healthcare system. They are the backbone of healthcare in Uganda,” she said.
She warned that asking young doctors to sustain hospital operations without proper facilitation is dangerous and unsustainable.
“Expecting them to keep hospitals running without proper facilitation is suicidal,” Dr. Nambasa added.
The councillor-elect, who represents the opposition party National Unity Platform, also questioned government spending priorities.
She said it was troubling that funds could easily be allocated to bloggers, whom she claimed provide no essential public service, while medical interns struggle to receive recognition and financial support.
“It’s absurd that a government can easily fund bloggers who offer no essential public service, while medical interns must constantly fight to be recognized and supported,” she said.
Dr. Nambasa described the situation as unfair to young professionals who have spent years studying to serve the country’s health sector.
“We reject this modern-day slavery,” she emphasized.
Her remarks come after the government reportedly asked intern doctors to continue working without pay, a move that has sparked concern and debate among health workers and the public.
The issue has raised fresh questions about funding priorities and the welfare of frontline health workers within Uganda’s medical system.
