Moses Kabangi, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Environmental Health, has been interdicted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) over allegations of soliciting money from medical interns in exchange for favorable hospital deployments. Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Senior Public Relations Officer at MOH, disclosed this during an interview with URN.
Ainebyoona revealed that Kabangi and a group of medical interns were allegedly collaborating to exploit unsuspecting young doctors. The revelation follows an ongoing investigation initiated by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit last week. Five medical interns from Mulago National Referral Hospital, Soroti, Mukono, and Kitovu hospitals are scheduled for interrogation on Monday.
In a letter from Dr. Joseph Okware on behalf of Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Director General of Health Services, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit summoned thirty-nine interns deployed nationwide to probe allegations of extortion, influence peddling, and unethical behavior by certain officials.
The investigation is expected to conclude on Tuesday, and Dr. Bill Adrati, President of the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns, suggests that many of his colleagues have been victims of such schemes. Adrati cites a recent deployment after protests and a prolonged dispute, alleging that the process was manipulated to punish activist doctors.
Dr. Herbert Luswata, President of the Uganda Medical Association, indicated that they sought clarity from the Ministry of Health when they learned about the intern summonses. They wanted to confirm whether the interns were suspects in the extortion case.
Adrati, currently interning at Anaka Hospital in the Nwoya district, emphasized the need for transparency in the deployment process, questioning the criteria used by the ministry. Attempts to seek clarification on the facilitation of medical interns from top officials, including the Director General of Health Services and Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine, yielded no responses.
Table: Key Developments in the Health Ministry Scandal
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Last week | State House Anti-Corruption Unit launches investigation. |
| Monday | Five medical interns summoned for interrogation. |
| Tuesday | Conclusion of hearings into allegations of extortion and misconduct. |
