In a disturbing incident, a female intern doctor at Kabale Referral Hospital fell victim to a brutal attack, robbery, and rape while en route to the facility. This horrifying incident is just one in a string of criminal activities that have targeted medical interns in the region, leaving them in a state of perpetual fear.
In a heartfelt letter addressed to the Federation for Uganda Medical Interns (FUMI), a group of 20 doctors, 16 nurses, and 4 pharmacists laid bare their nightmarish experiences during their first month of internship. These accounts included a male intern’s assault and robbery in his rented accommodation, as well as two female interns who narrowly escaped robbery by raising the alarm with their screams.
Beyond the physical and sexual assaults, these interns expressed deep concerns regarding the lack of security and inadequate accommodation facilities provided to them. They pointed out the frustrating irony of a well-equipped intern complex tantalizingly close to the hospital gate, yet inaccessible due to ongoing negotiations with the contractor.
“It is even more painful to inform you that as all this goes on, each day as we come from our distant, insecure, sorry state places of residence to serve our patients, we pass by a complete magnificent interns complex just a stone’s throw away from the main hospital gate,” lamented the interns in their poignant letter.
In response to their plea, Dr. Bill Adrati, President of FUMI, stressed the urgency of intervention by local, regional, and national authorities to address the dire security and accommodation challenges faced by medical interns. He called for immediate security measures, including increased surveillance and armed patrols around the hospital vicinity. Furthermore, he urged the hospital administration to provide secure transport for interns, particularly those working night shifts, as an interim solution.
Dr. Adrati also called upon the government to bridge the funding gap and resolve the contractual disputes that have hindered access to the intern complex. Additionally, he appealed to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to consider monthly allowances for medical interns to alleviate financial stress.
