Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Health has announced a temporary and exceptional measure allowing doctors and hospital-university lecturers to continue their private practice.
The decision aims to ensure ongoing access to specialised healthcare while supporting the private health sector’s complementary role alongside public facilities.
The announcement, made in a ministry statement on Monday, comes after authorisations for public health professionals to work in private facilities expired at the end of September 2025.
These authorisations were originally granted under a decree issued on 17 August 2023, which regulates the involvement of public health staff in private institutions.
The measure applies to specialists, pharmacists, dental surgeons, and hospital-university teaching staff.
“This measure is intended to preserve equitable access to specialised care for the population and to support the private health subsector in its complementary role to public structures,” said Health Minister Dr Robert Lucien Kargougou.
The temporary authorisation will remain in force until private institutions have an adequate number of resident specialists. The ministry emphasised that all vacation work must continue under the same conditions and obligations outlined in the 2023 decree.
A monitoring mechanism will be put in place to ensure strict compliance with these rules.
Private health facilities that fail to adhere to the legal framework may face sanctions in accordance with existing regulations.
The ministry also reminded universities, public and private institutions, and healthcare personnel of the importance of observing these directives carefully.
The 2023 decree initially set conditions for public health staff working in private facilities.
Under the decree, vacation periods for general practitioners and paramedical staff expired at the end of September 2024.
Authorisations for hospital-university lecturers in medicine, pharmacy, and dental surgery, as well as specialist doctors, pharmacists, and dental surgeons, expired at the end of September 2025.
This temporary measure provides continuity of specialised services for patients while the private health sector strengthens its capacity, highlighting Burkina Faso’s ongoing efforts to balance public and private healthcare provision.
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