Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court has remanded eight medical interns and health workers arrested during a protest over the government’s failure to pay medical interns.The eight were arrested on Wednesday, August 12, along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala while wearing white medical coats and carrying placards demanding payment for medical interns.They were arraigned before grade one magistrate Rophine Acayo on Friday and charged with being a nuisance on a public road.The accused are Dr Jamadah Kagahe, 26; Jane Nantege, 25, an intern pharmacist; Lawrence William Mukiibi, 26, a nurse; Nicholas Wamuwaya, 28; Silver Ssengonga, 27; Allan Okwir, 26, a pharmacist; Daniel Kirunda, 33, an intern doctor at Kiruddu hospital; and Ggala Luke, 32, an intern doctor at Kiryandongo general hospital.According to the charge sheet, the eight allegedly positioned themselves on Parliamentary Avenue in a manner that caused danger or inconvenience to traffic.The prosecution alleges that they were carrying placards bearing messages including, “Say No to NET Policy,” “No Pay, No Reporting,” and “For the Good of All Ugandans Pay All Medical Interns.”The accused, who appeared in court wearing clinical coats, denied the charges. They were represented by lawyers led by Yasin Ssentumbwe and Yasin Munagomba of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative.The prosecution told court that investigations had been completed and asked for a hearing date. The defence, however, applied for bail, asking the court to release the accused so they could continue with their professional and public service duties.Court heard that the defence had been unable to submit documents for the proposed sureties through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) because the system was reportedly down.Ssentumbwe also asked the court to grant the accused bail, arguing that the medical professionals had been introduced by the Uganda Medical Association and the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns.He said the accused serve in the public interest and asked the court to consider this as it determines their bail application. The court remanded the eight until Monday, August 17, when the bail application will be formally heard.The remand comes amid growing pressure from medical interns over their payment and reporting arrangements. The interns have been demanding payment and objecting to government policies requiring them to report for internship without remuneration.They argue that the lack of payment affects their ability to report to health facilities and provide services while meeting their basic needs.The post Eight medics remanded over intern pay protest appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.