The shadow minister for health, Dr. Timothy Batuwa, has criticised the Ministry of Health’s proposal to allow pre-medical interns who can afford to facilitate their own internship to apply for deployment.
According to the Ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Diana Atwine, the decision was reached following proposals by parents to allow those who can afford to apply for deployment to avoid further loss of time.
However, addressing the media at parliament on Thursday, Dr. Batuwa said the guidance is discriminatory and contradicts Article 21 of the constitution.
He noted the health ministry has no powers to alter the terms and conditions of deployment of pre-medical interns unless there is an amendment in the existing laws.
“The ministry can only change the terms of pre-medical interns’ deployment by amending the various laws. Dr. Diana Atwine has no powers to unilaterally change the terms and manner of deployment. I call upon the government to without delay, find resources for the immediate deployment of all pre-medical interns,” Batuwa said.
Batuwa urged the government to find resources to deploy all pre-medical interns who have spent a full year without deployment, He further said that the interns should be given an allowance as the law stipulates.
