Dr. Frank Rubabinda Asiimwe Elected Uganda Medical Association President, Unveils 7-Point Agenda to Transform the Medical Workforce

Kampala, Uganda – Dr. Frank Rubabinda Asiimwe (Consultant Urologist/ Transplant Surgeon) has been elected President of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) for the 2025–2027 term, ushering in a leadership era anchored on equity, unity, and sustainability within the medical profession. His victory has been welcomed across the medical fraternity, with many anticipating a more assertive, structured, and inclusive advocacy front for Ugandan doctors.

Upon his election, Dr. Rubabinda immediately rolled out a clear strategic blueprint comprising seven “low-hanging fruits” aimed at addressing long-standing concerns affecting doctors, interns, specialists, and medical officers nationwide. His agenda is rooted in what he calls First Principles Leadership—a philosophy emphasizing accountability, institutional strengthening, and unified representation.

1. Fast-Tracking the Reinstatement of the UGX 2.5M Stipend for Intern Doctors

A top priority for Dr. Rubabinda is ensuring that intern doctors receive their long-awaited stipend of UGX 2.5 million, paid promptly and without arrears. He intends to push for the conclusion and implementation of the Internship Policy, enabling interns to be formally appointed as Medical Officers on probation complete with full benefits. This, he argues, will stabilize the internship cycle, reduce uncertainty, and ensure that young doctors begin their careers with dignity and financial security.

2. Strengthening the Senior House Officer (SHO) Cadre

Dr. Rubabinda plans to fast-track the reinstatement of the UGX 2.5 million monthly stipend for SHOs and ensure full implementation of the SHO policy. SHOs—who form the backbone of Uganda’s specialized training programmes—have long faced delays in pay and inconsistent policy application. His administration intends to close these gaps to enhance training quality, supervision, and retention of specialists.

3. Harmonizing Pay for Associate Consultants

Addressing disparities in specialist salaries is another critical commitment. Dr. Rubabinda aims to advocate for salary harmonization to ensure that Associate Consultants enjoy progressive pay increases in line with what full Consultants receive. He says that harmonizing pay structures will help in retaining specialists, stopping brain drain, and boosting morale within referral and specialized hospitals.

4. Expanding Service Delivery Through Strategic Recruitment

To ease staffing shortages and reduce workloads, the newly elected UMA President plans to push for a bundled recruitment approach. His strategy emphasizes placing more doctors in Health Centre IIIs, Health Centre IVs, General Hospitals, Regional Referral Hospitals, National Referral Hospitals, and National Specialized Hospitals. He will also advocate for lifting the recruitment ban to allow timely placement of doctors across the system.

5. Protecting Doctors’ Professional Space

There has been growing concern over what doctors describe as encroachment on clinical roles by other cadres, particularly pharmacists in some settings. Dr. Rubabinda insists this requires urgent intervention to safeguard professional boundaries, uphold clinical safety, and maintain clear scopes of practice across the health sector. His leadership plans to engage regulatory councils and the Ministry of Health to streamline responsibilities and avoid friction among health professionals.

6. Unifying the Medical Profession Under One Voice

Dr. Rubabinda acknowledges that internal divisions among doctors—involving interns, SHOs, specialists, diaspora groups, and emerging factions—have weakened collective bargaining. He intends to become “Frank the Unifier” by building consensus, promoting solidarity, and ensuring that all doctors speak with one powerful voice during negotiations and policy discussions. This unifying approach is expected to strengthen UMA’s capacity to influence national health policy and enhance the welfare of its members.

7. First Principles Leadership and Governance Reforms

The new UMA leadership aims to strengthen the association’s internal governance through a series of constitutional and structural reforms. Dr. Rubabinda plans to:

Introduce accountability-driven leadership systems

Strengthen membership representation Establish a diaspora wing with representation in the National Governing Council (NGC)

Create an ambassador programme to engage sister medical associations globally

Ensure that doctors in private practice also have representation on the NGC

These reforms are designed to modernize UMA, broaden participation, and build a resilient institutional culture.

A Transformative Mandate Ahead

Health sector analysts say Dr. Rubabinda’s election comes at a crucial time for Uganda’s medical community, which continues to grapple with limited financing, inadequate remuneration, understaffing, and migration of health professionals to better-paying markets abroad.

With his seven clear priority points, Dr. Rubabinda has positioned his leadership as one focused on practical, achievable reforms while laying the foundation for long-term structural improvements.

As the 2025–2027 term begins, expectations from doctors, students, and policy influencers remain high. His success will likely be measured by how effectively he can negotiate with government agencies, unify a diverse profession, and secure tangible improvements in welfare, training, and service delivery.