Diversity in Career Preferences of Future Health Workers in Rwanda : Where, Why, and for How Much?
The Government of Rwanda has identified human resources for health as one of its Policy priorities. This study aims to contribute to building a better understanding of health worker choice and behavior, and to improve evidence based policies. The w...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Publication |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000333037_20100511015328 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2445 |
| Summary: | The Government of Rwanda has identified
human resources for health as one of its Policy priorities.
This study aims to contribute to building a better
understanding of health worker choice and behavior, and to
improve evidence based policies. The work was undertaken by
The Ministry of Health in a collaborative effort with the
World Bank, building on the results of qualitative pre
research, and is the first wave of a cohort survey with
medical and nursing students. In comparison with other
African countries, migration of health workers abroad may be
less of a problem for Rwanda. The study finds that 80
percent of nursing and medical students report to have no
intention to migrate abroad in the coming five years. Using
a contingent valuation method to measure the reservation
wage to migrate, we find that at the current public sector
starting salary more than half the students will choose a
job in Kigali instead of going abroad. But there is
considerable heterogeneity in the willingness to work
abroad. For example, students who are married or engaged are
less likely to move abroad. Younger medical students require
a higher average salary to stay in Rwanda compared to older
students. Although Rwanda has a relatively low HIV
prevalence compared to other African countries, there are
problems with attitudes to HIV/AIDS, although the attitudes
differ greatly between students, with medical students
consistently more positive than nurses. Medical students
score higher than nurses on medical knowledge related to
HIV/AIDS, have higher levels of self reported knowledge on
AIDS, and are also more familiar with HIV. Health students
are generally averse to taking up work in high HIV
prevalence areas but preferences vary widely, as is
reflected in the wide span of reservation wages to accept a
job in a high HIV prevalence area. Students are less willing
to work in high HIV prevalence areas than to take up rural service. |
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