Ouagadougou: Some 944 health workers recruited under the Presidential Initiative for Health (IPS) began their patriotic immersion program on September 18, 2026, at the National Institute for the Training of Education Personnel (INFPE), formerly ENEP, in Loumbila. On September 23, 2026, these recruits received a visit from the Minister of Health. Dr. Robert Kargougou visited the site to observe the progress of the training and speak with the recruits.
According to Burkina Information Agency, These agents are among the one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight recruits of the Ministry of Health under the IPS. They come in particular from the corps of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, midwives, biomedical technologists, hospital hygiene technicians and senior medical imaging technicians.
Organised in collaboration with the National Bureau of Major Projects of Burkina Faso (BN-GPB), the immersion aims to strengthen among new agents the values of patriotism, civic-mindedness, discipline, solidarity and commitment to the service of the nation.
The program includes military instruction, marksmanship training, service regulations, military and sports physical education, and an introduction to discipline and patriotism (IDP). Communications are also planned for the conscripts.
"Our country is at a pivotal moment in its history, and our healthcare system is facing current challenges. This mandatory patriotic immersion program has been designed to prepare you to confront this reality," stated Dr. Robert Kargougou.
The minister encouraged the recruits to cultivate teamwork, solidarity, and commitment in their future roles.
The visit also included a tour of the on-site nursery for female conscripts, particularly pregnant women and those with young children. More than 350 pregnant women are receiving support.
According to the minister, between 60 and 70 women have already given birth on-site before resuming their training. The nursery also accommodates approximately 200 children.
This second wave of recruitment is part of the special recruitment intended to support the gradual opening of fifty-five community medical centers (CMCs) planned by the IPS across the country.