Burundi is grappling with a critical shortage of medical practitioners as many doctors abandon their posts for better opportunities abroad. The issue was spotlighted on the final day of Burundi’s roundtable aimed at attracting foreign investors in Bujumbura on Friday. Health Minister Lyduine Baradahana called for urgent investment in the health sector, acknowledging the country’s limited pool of specialized doctors.
Low salaries and overwhelming patient loads are driving the exodus, according to Aloys Baricako, chairman of the opposition RANAC party. “Doctors are moving to developed countries in search of a better life, where salaries are significantly higher,” he said, urging the government to address these challenges.
Burundi’s healthcare workers face stark pay disparities. Earlier this year, Minister Baradahana told parliament that a specialist doctor in Burundi earns BIF 650,000 per month, compared to FRW 1,300,000 in Rwanda, $3,000 in Kenya, and $1,300 in Tanzania. Reports indicate around 30,000 specialized doctors have left Burundi, with many relocating to neighboring Rwanda.
The National Council of the Order of Doctors in Burundi (CNOMB) corroborated this trend. “Since 2020, there’s been an exodus of doctors to neighboring countries and even to Europe due to low salaries,” said CNOMB Vice President Philbert Sendegeya. He urged the government to review wages to stem the outflow.
The crisis extends to nurses, with Joseph Akumuryango, spokesperson for the SYNAPA union, highlighting recent resignations linked to the soaring cost of living. He noted that six nurses have reportedly left the Legentil clinic alone, prompting renewed calls for salary reforms.
This wave of departures isn’t limited to healthcare. Young professionals, journalists, and even military officers trained abroad increasingly choose not to return, citing economic hardships at home. As Burundi navigates an ongoing economic crisis, the loss of its skilled workforce exacerbates challenges in vital sectors.
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