The Uganda Medical Association has proposed that the government set up teaching hospitals in most of the health training institutions to reduce overcrowding.
The Association President, Dr. Herbert Luswata, on Sunday, September 30, 2024, attributed overcrowding in the available facilities to medical schools without teaching hospitals.
“Students coming from different training institutions—the number is big in one hospital; they become too many, and these hospitals are overcrowded by students; even the learning is affected, Luswata said.
Luswata said that the integration of teaching hospitals into health training institutions supports a shift towards competency-based education.
This approach focuses on equipping students with the necessary skills and competencies to meet the strategic health goals outlined in the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP).
This call for action follows directives from Education Minister Janet Museveni on Thursday, September 26, 2024, while releasing the June 2024 results for Nurses and Midwives.
She urged health training institutions to manage their student intake effectively following a concern raised by the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board (UNMEB), who decried congestion in the health facilities used for training.