Makamba : refusal to harmonize salaries by the provincial health authority, employees denounce embezzlement of funds

For more than two years, health officials in Makamba province (southern Burundi) have been reluctant to harmonize salaries in the health sector, while the Ministry of Health ordered this harmonization following the signing of a related order. The staff accuses the provincial authority and health officials of embezzling a huge amount of related funds.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to our sources, it has been more than two years since the Ministry of Health ordered the harmonization of salaries, in vain.

“The order requires medical directors of provincial offices to harmonize salaries for staff at the same level. But in Makamba, this has never been done,” complain employees in this field who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi.

According to the agents, the provincial health authority displays a clear lack of will, which is accompanied by embezzlement of funds.

“They are only satisfied with sharing bonuses that are calculated on the basis of performance. But this is only possible if we have worked well and satisfied clients who are sick,” denounce nurses who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi.

According to our sources, the harmonization of salaries is mainly demanded by healthcare staff, that is to say nurses, A1 level technicians, holders of a bachelor degree, or doctors, support staff, including health center managers, and technical staff such as electricians, drivers and others.

“Every employee in our sector at the same level must receive the same salary as civil servants or contract workers,” they explain.

Our sources say that officials are making a lot of money off their backs by delaying the implementation of the ministerial order.

“Elsewhere, a nurse receives 280,000 Burundi francs or more per month while the salary is only 180,000 in Makamba. Do you see this difference for children of the same nation? We cannot accept it!”, they fume.

Unions too silent

Health personnel unions in the province have remained silent in the face of this situation. They are suspected of colluding with health officials in the non-implementation of the ministry’s order.

When contacted, health officials explained that “some structures are not able to implement this order due to lack of resources”.

Our sources reject the explanations, stressing that “these arguments do not hold water. It is rather an organized embezzlement of funds because the situation is the same in health structures under agreement, reputed to have sufficient resources.”

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A health worker taking blood for health facilities in Burundi during a blood donation campaign (SOS Médias Burundi)