Press Release On Medical Training Final

UGANDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
PRESS RELEASE 14/12/2023
U.M.A POSITION ON MATTERS CONCERNING MEDICAL TRAINING IN UGANDA
We reiterate our position in our communication dated November 30, 2022 (Ref:
UMA/SG/20221130; "Proposals on Reforms for Medical Training in Uganda"), addressed to
the Secretary of the Education Policy Review Commission. Below is an excerpt of the non-
exhaustive pre-requisites’ checklist code named "The 5Bs."
We recommended that;
B1. Before establishing and/or opening a medical school or health professional training
institution, the following should be fulfilled by the Institution;
i) Should be in line with National planning needs,

ii) Equity compliance/ Regional balance should be addressed,
iii) Adequate infrastructure and equipment,
iv) Specified and high-quality academic teaching and learning, and research capacity.
v) Verifiable capacity standards with a good sustainability plan.
vi) Governance, Finance, Administrative structures, and resources with a measurable
sustainability capacity.
B2. Before accrediting a course or program the following should also be fulfilled by the
Program itself:
i) National needs compliance (specific fully defined gap/need),

ii)Professional relevance (specific professional roles to avoid undue duplication, overlap,
ambiguity, or confusion in duties or roles with specification, accountability, hierarchy
supervision, employment, and, remuneration),
iii) Applicable International standards and fitting into the international regulations.
vi) Curriculum content with specific course unit scope and end-point qualities and
expectations that are required of the student and/or graduates at every stage, and the end
President: Dr. Herbert Luswata V.President: Prof. Frank R Asiimwe Immediate Past President: Dr. Edith Nakku J
Secretary General: Dr. Mirembe Joel Dep. Secretary General: Treasurer: Dr. Asaba Irene Mugisha
Chair Publicity & Mob: Dr. Muyanga Mark Andrew Chair Fin. & Dev’t: Dr. Mwesigye Ismael Chair Welfare: Ssekyanzi Livingstone
Chair CPD: Dr. Asiphas Owaraganise Chair Ethics & Professionalism: Dr. Kabweru WilberForce Editor UMJ: Dr. Amanya Flavia
of the program. The ability of the course to meet certification requirements of regulatory
bodies both local and international.
v) Adequate specified training and welfare facilities for the enrolled students.
B3. Before admitting a candidate to a course or program, one should publish:
I)Clear academic and non-academic pre-application criteria, clear standard minimum

academic criteria, and clear added advantage criteria as applicable.
II)Clear rules and regulations including disciplinary, termination, and expulsion criteria for
any admitted or enrolled student.
II) Clear course qualification (Degree/Award) criteria for admission and graduation.
B4. Before graduating a student from a course or program, should satisfy the medical
examinations board (if and when instituted, National exams for all Ugandan training
institutions i.e pre-entry exams into medical school and national existing exams from
medical schools).
B5. Before registering a graduate for internship practice, the candidate to meet all pre-
specifications by the relevant government ministries, internship committees, and
professional regulatory bodies and councils i.e UMDPC, Nurses Council, PSU, in accordance
with applicable laws.
The above recommendations can be implemented and/or enforced by professional councils

in collaboration with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Ministry of
Education and Sports to ensure the proper training and standardized good quality of medical
practitioners who can safely serve both the Ugandan and International demands.
The Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC), which is the regulatory body
for the training and practice of doctors, announced in a press conference that one of the
country's universities is currently unfit to train and release doctors for medical internship.
This assessment was made in 2019 by the the joint East African medical and dental
practitioners council and as a result, the university was supposed to close the gaps identified
and address its inadequate standards before resuming doctor training. We, as medical
colleagues representing the medical doctors of Uganda and the public whose health we
safeguard, are deeply concerned to learn that despite the recommendations and regulatory
process and the guidance given by the UMDPC, the university concerned has not complied.
Medical students who have been admitted and trained at a university that is currently
deemed unfit for training are facing a challenging future. After investing years of time and
money in their education, the students enrolled in such an institution are now unable to join
medical internship in Uganda, thus jeopardizing their careers and causing significant mental
health problems. This harm to students and to the upkeep of the professional has to be
addressed.
RECOMMENDATIONS
We therefore recommend that;
1. NCHE considers U.M.A’s earlier recommendations on medical training.

2. NCHE and MoES support the recommendations of UMDPC to close non-compliant medical
schools for patient safety and to maximize medical standards in the country.
3. The graduates of King Caesar University and UMDPC work to settle the matters of
contention out of court.
UMA remains committed to positively influencing the future of medical training and
professionalism in Uganda, the region, and the world.
Service with honor,
Dr. Luswata Herbert

President

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UGANDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE 14/12/2023

U.M.A POSITION ON MATTERS CONCERNING MEDICAL TRAINING IN UGANDA

i) Should be in line with National planning needs,

i) National needs compliance (specific fully defined gap/need),

B3. Before admitting a candidate to a course or program, one should publish:

I)Clear academic and non-academic pre-application criteria, clear standard minimum

The above recommendations can be implemented and/or enforced by professional councils

We therefore recommend that;

1. NCHE considers U.M.A’s earlier recommendations on medical training.

Service with honor,

Dr. Luswata Herbert

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