BUJUMBURA, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Hundreds of doctors in Burundi began a two-day strike on Monday that paralysed government hospitals, demanding better pay and conditions. The tiny central African country of 8 million people has nearly 200 doctors, who earn less than $100 a month. "Our claims have been known by authorities since 2004 but nothing has been done to improve our work and living conditions," said Willy Gatore, spokesman for the Burundi doctors' union. Patients were turned away at public hospitals and only emergency cases were attended to. Burundi's hospitals have become more crowded since the government said in 2005 it would give free health care for children under five and expectant mothers. Many public sector workers in Burundi are unhappy with their pay. The coffee-growing country's annual inflation rate rose to 28.1 percent in August from 27.3 percent in July driven by high commodity prices. A government official told Reuters the Burundi government would "analyse the demands from the doctors". (Reporting by Patrick Nduwimana; Editing by Wangui Kanina)
