Global healthcare professional migration: a blessing or a curse?
Abstract
Numerous studies have been conducted on global health worker migration since the 1960s. Various ideas have been put forward on how to control the migration, but no concrete steps have been finalised on how the developed recipient countries can compensate the developing donor countries. In this editorial, I will attempt to review some of the issues responsible for the inaction in addressing this continuing global phenomenon. The lack of a robust health workforce operating in stable delivery infrastructures undermines effective domestic health systems and global public health interventions.1 The 2010 World Health Organization report on migration of healthcare workers reiterates the fact that there is generally a global shortage of qualified and highly skilled healthcare workers, and this is exacerbated by the disproportionate flow of emigration and immigration from poor to rich countries, which is threatening global health.2 The report indicates that the consequences have been dire for resource-poor countries, including financial and human resource loss, health system weakening, and failure to provide essential public health interventions.
Section
Editorials
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