Eronda
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- Dec 16, 2025
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The Pharmacy Professionals Association of Uganda (PPAU) has rejected claims that Uganda is producing more health professionals than it can absorb, arguing that the country instead faces a severe shortage of healthcare jobs.
In a statement issued through the association's X account on Tuesday, PPAU said current discussions surrounding the cost of medical internships and government support for intern allowances have obscured what it described as the country's real challenge: a massive shortage of health workers across the healthcare system.
According to the association, government staffing data shows that Uganda's health sector has an approved establishment of more than 154,000 positions, but only about 48,000 of those posts are currently filled, leaving over 106,000 vacancies nationwide.
“In practical terms, nearly seven out of every ten approved health positions remain vacant,” the statement said.
PPAU noted that staffing gaps exist across all levels of healthcare delivery, including Health Centre IIIs, Health Centre IVs, district hospitals, regional referral hospitals and specialised institutions, many of which continue to operate with less than half of the personnel required to provide optimal services.
The association said the consequences of these shortages are visible across the country through long patient waiting times, healthcare worker burnout, limited access to qualified professionals in rural communities and delays in the delivery of essential health services.
At the same time, Uganda continues to train doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, laboratory professionals and other healthcare workers who must complete internship training before entering independent practice.
PPAU contrary to the Minister of health Dr. Chris Baryomunsi concluded that Uganda does not have too many interns but rather too few health workers for the population it serves, too many vacant positions in health facilities and too many communities still waiting for access to quality healthcare.
Source: Nilepost
In a statement issued through the association's X account on Tuesday, PPAU said current discussions surrounding the cost of medical internships and government support for intern allowances have obscured what it described as the country's real challenge: a massive shortage of health workers across the healthcare system.
According to the association, government staffing data shows that Uganda's health sector has an approved establishment of more than 154,000 positions, but only about 48,000 of those posts are currently filled, leaving over 106,000 vacancies nationwide.
“In practical terms, nearly seven out of every ten approved health positions remain vacant,” the statement said.
PPAU noted that staffing gaps exist across all levels of healthcare delivery, including Health Centre IIIs, Health Centre IVs, district hospitals, regional referral hospitals and specialised institutions, many of which continue to operate with less than half of the personnel required to provide optimal services.
The association said the consequences of these shortages are visible across the country through long patient waiting times, healthcare worker burnout, limited access to qualified professionals in rural communities and delays in the delivery of essential health services.
At the same time, Uganda continues to train doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, laboratory professionals and other healthcare workers who must complete internship training before entering independent practice.
PPAU contrary to the Minister of health Dr. Chris Baryomunsi concluded that Uganda does not have too many interns but rather too few health workers for the population it serves, too many vacant positions in health facilities and too many communities still waiting for access to quality healthcare.
Source: Nilepost
