Doctors demand higher pay
Tefera says NO!

By Tedla Yeneakal

Medical doctors in the country appealed to Minister of Capacity Building Tefera Walewa for a raise in salary, at a meeting they held on Wednesday, November 8.

Their demand was not welcomed by Tefera as he responded that although their service is appreciated, it is very difficult to increase their pay as hospitals and health institutes in the country are not profitable sectors and additional subsidy by the government would be unaffordable.

A young doctor with a master in medicine, working at the Addis Ababa Black Lion Hospital complained that Cuban and Russian doctors are paid 15 times more than her Ethiopian colleagues.

“It is hard to blame a trained and educated person for leaving the country because of the many obstacles in the path to success,” she complained. “I earn a monthly salary of 1,300 birr and I believe this is very low considering the sacrifices I made while attending my medical studies and the day to day intensive work involved.” According to a recent international study, there are more Ethiopian doctors in Washington DC than in the whole of Ethiopia . Some of the pushing factors for the brain drain is poor working conditions, limited carrier and educational opportunities, low pay and economic instability. Representatives from major government hospitals in the country have appealed to Minister Tefera, for higher salary payments as well as benefits in the likes of accommodation and transport, but have not obtained a positive response. “If the issue is not resolved soon we will be forced to voice our concerns through demonstration,” said a young doctor, who requested his name not to be mentioned.

According to official data, Ethiopia trained 2,491 general practitioners between 1988 and 2001, but in recent years one-third have already left the country seeking better employment opportunities in North America, Europe and South Africa .

The country also lingers at the bottom in world rankings of health professional ratios as Ethiopia can only boast one doctor for every 40,000 people and one nurse for every 8,000 people.