Uganda crippled by medical brain drain

Despite severe shortages of health workers, the government is encouraging its doctors to leave – a move that has landed it in the high court

At the paediatric and childcare department of Uganda’s Mulago national referral hospital, a memo advertises vacancies for nurses in a private clinic. Two points are highlighted: attractive salary and accommodation.

Another memo from the hospital management apologises for the delay of January salaries for medical staff. Delayed or insufficient salaries are not new in Uganda’s public hospitals. Medical workers in rural areas wait for as long as three months without pay. Accommodation or transport costs are a rarity.

Three-quarters of the people I graduated with 20 years ago are not in Uganda.Last year, the Foreign Ministry advertised opportunities for 263 health workers to go to Trinidad and Tobago. According to the advertisement, Uganda wants to “further accelerate the existing excellent bilateral relations” with the Caribbean country. At least 400 health workers, including senior specialists from government hospitals, applied to leave.

The Institute of Public Policy Research Uganda (IPPR-U), a local thinktank, has gone to the high court to stop the export of health workers and compel the government to encourage them to stay.

Justinian Kateera, IPPR-U’s executive director, said: “While the government is bent on exporting health workers, thousands of Ugandans are dying daily. Sixteen women die daily giving birth, but the government can’t see that as problematic.

“This [Ugandan case] is going to set precedents on the continent. We want governments to know that it is their responsibility to retain key professionals,” Kateera said.