IN A NUTSHELL
Editor's Note

A first hand outburst&complaint snapshot here about the perceived motivational and salary gaps inside the public healthcare system in Ethiopia, whereby feelings of irony and paradox arise in the Author from still critical shortages of health workers in key areas coupling with many doctors being unable to find public employment

By Dr. Melaku Kebede

Public Health Advocate

Head of Pediatrics Department at Olenchiti Hospital

Ethiopia

Ethiopia: How Persistent Unemployment and Low Motivation Affect Health Workers and the Healthcare System

 

Ethiopia has made some strides in improving its healthcare system, but it still faces many challenges, particularly in rural areas where access to quality care is limited by scarce resources. Health workers, who are essential for delivering health services, suffer from low morale due to poor working conditions and inadequate compensation.

I, a medical doctor, can paint a bleak picture of the situation. Healthcare professionals battle diseases and a dysfunctional system, lacking essential supplies and basic amenities. According to a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), only 1% of the health facilities assessed in Ethiopia had all the basic amenities, such as water, electricity, sanitation, and waste management. I want to emphasize the effect of these constraints on health workers’ motivation, saying that they drive many of them to look for alternative careers that do not involve direct patient care or to join the private sector, which offers better pay and working environment.

The Ministry of Health recognizes the difficulties faced by the health sector, including low availability of medicines and high turnover of staff. It has made commitments to improve the situation, but many doctors remain dissatisfied with their financial situation, as expressed by the fact that it’s impossible to fulfill basic needs with current salaries.

The irony is that while many doctors are unable to find employment, there are still critical shortages of health workers in key areas, such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and emergency care.

This unemployment paradox reflects the need for increased investment in the healthcare sector and the need for health professionals to explore alternative career paths amidst limited opportunities in the private sector.