President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has committed a one-off capital grant of Shs125 billion to the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) SACCO to enable medical practitioners to access low-interest credit, finance specialist medical training, and set up private clinical practices.
The President made the commitment during a consultative meeting with current medical interns and executive leadership of the Uganda Medical Association, led by UMA President Dr. Frank Asiimwe, at State House Entebbe.
Addressing the delegation, President Museveni characterized the capital injection into the healthcare SACCO as a sustainable, non-recurrent intervention that will economically empower health professionals and foster self-employment within the private medical sector.
On academic and professional progression, the President directed relevant ministries to correct policy guidelines that require medical students to complete housemanship before formally graduating from their respective universities. He noted that university graduation and professional medical internship are distinct milestones, describing the requirement that holds back degrees prior to internship as an administrative mistake that wastes time.
Regarding the welfare and monthly allowances for medical interns and senior house officers, President Museveni indicated that government consultations will continue, stressing that decisions on stipend adjustments must remain guided by public financial sustainability and fiscal capacity.
The President also voiced support for proposals providing tax relief to frontline medical workers, alongside establishing duty-free arrangements to ease access to essential, life-supporting medical supplies and clinical equipment.
Leaders of the Uganda Medical Association and representative medical interns welcomed the President's policy directives and financial commitments, pledging to maintain close technical cooperation with the Ministry of Health to strengthen quality healthcare delivery nationwide.
