My longest stay in Bulape is probably about six weeks. I was glad to leave and get back to the states. Then I hang out in the land of plenty. Mylist of amenities are Walmart, Sam's, I-65, Panera Bread, Famous Dave's, Wendy's, etc. Then the following year, I go back to rural Congo and the Bulape Hospital. There's a new doctor heading the hospital. The life of bush doctor is about two years.
Our doctor in Bulape has the best housing. It is comparable to an urban dwelling. But there is limited internet options. The doctor is the only professional doctor in the area. One doctor said poor schooling for their children is the biggest distractor. They know the value of a good education.
IRIN Global | GLOBAL: Enticing health workers to the outback.
A group of 40 experts convened by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) is finalizing recommendations to help governments attract more health workers to sparsely staffed areas.
Initial findings include: medical graduates with a rural background are more likely to work outside urban areas; internet and rural health worker associations help workers feel less isolated and more satisfied; and the availability of housing and schools can convince people to stay in under-served areas.
“There is no magic solution,” Jean-Marc Braichet, WHO’s coordinator of health workforce, migration and retention, told IRIN. “No one strategy will work on its own. There is talk of higher salaries [for rural workers], but money is not enough.”
He said living conditions played an important role in attracting – and retaining – rural health workers.
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