Eight Medics Remanded for Protesting Unpaid Intern Salaries

A group of eight medical professionals, including interns and health workers, have been remanded by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court. The arrests occurred on Wednesday, August 12th, along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala, where they were protesting the government’s alleged failure to pay medical interns.

Clad in their clinical coats and carrying placards with messages like “No Pay, No Reporting” and “Pay All Medical Interns,” the accused were charged with causing a nuisance and inconvenience to traffic on a public road.

The group, comprising interns and pharmacists, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their legal representation, from the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, argued for their release, highlighting their public service roles and introductions by the Uganda Medical Association and the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns.

Bail proceedings were delayed as the defense faced technical difficulties submitting surety documents via the Electronic Court Case Management Information System, which was reportedly down. The court has set Monday, August 17th, for a formal hearing of the bail application.

This remand comes at a time of increasing tension between medical interns and the government regarding unpaid salaries and remuneration policies for internship postings. The interns contend that the lack of payment hinders their ability to report for duty and meet basic living expenses while serving the public.

For more details, visit: https://observer.ug/news/eight-medics-remanded-over-intern-pay-protest