Doctors in Burundi are being arrested for resigning due to low salaries, with at least five detained and others threatened. They sought a fourfold salary increase but were ignored, leading to their resignations from private clinics while continuing in public hospitals. The government has not formally addressed the situation, but warnings from medical professionals indicate a potential mass departure if conditions do not improve.
In Burundi, several doctors have faced arrest after resigning from their positions in response to inadequate salaries. Since late 2024, at least five doctors have been detained by the country’s intelligence service, with others reportedly receiving threats. These medical professionals initially demanded a salary increase from $170 to $680 per month but continued to work in public hospitals after their private clinic jobs were relinquished.
Subsequent to their resignations, security forces began detaining them under accusations of posing a threat to national security. A medical union reported that the doctors were apprehended without arrest warrants and are currently being held in cells operated by the intelligence service. Despite a government official asserting that patient deaths may have occurred due to the doctors abandoning their roles, there has been no official statement from the government regarding the matter.
The health ministry has, however, confirmed the arrests. The doctors have cautioned that should their situation remain unchanged, additional medical staff may choose to leave their posts. One doctor emphasized that the government should not be surprised if healthcare professionals decide to seek employment in other regions offering better compensation.
Burundi has long struggled with a shortage of healthcare providers, a situation exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic when over 130 doctors departed due to insufficient pay.
The healthcare crisis in Burundi has escalated, with medical professionals facing grave challenges due to low salaries. Despite their professional commitment, doctors are compelled to resign as their demands for fair compensation are ignored. This has led to a precarious situation wherein the government’s response has involved incarcerating dissenting doctors, further deteriorating the healthcare system already battered by staff shortages. The exodus of healthcare workers is a significant concern for national health security and citizen welfare.
The situation concerning the arrest of doctors in Burundi over their resignation due to low pay highlights severe challenges within the healthcare system. The government’s approach to managing dissent among medical professionals raises serious concerns regarding national security and healthcare provision. As doctors threaten further resignations in search of better opportunities abroad, Burundi faces an increasingly dire medical workforce shortage that must be urgently addressed.
Original Source: globalsouthworld.com
