Table 2 Comparison of financial-incentive programmes to compulsory service

Enrolment

Self-selected

Universal

Compulsion

No

Yes

Length of service

Commonly >3 years

Commonly 1–3 years

Effect on equity of access to tertiary education

Improvement possible

None

Effect on total number of health workers

Increase possible

Decrease possible

Effect on composition of health worker population

Increase in proportion of health workers from poor backgrounds possible

Increase in proportion of lower-quality health workers possible