Taking More than a Fair Share? The Migration of Health Professionals from Poor to Rich Countries

The author argues that the migration of physicians and other trained health professionals undermines the ability of developing countries to meet agreed Millennium Development Goals and creates untenable health conditions for the poorer sections of their populations. Developing countries on their own cannot achieve effective moderation of migration and secure the integrity of health services without the cooperation and collaboration of the countries that receive their health workers. An international regimen is needed to manage and moderate the migration of health workers in order to minimize the deleterious effects this has on underdeveloped countries. Developing countries, on the other hand, need to evolve strategies that reflect their internal needs. This must include designing cadres of health professionals that are trained mainly for the purposes of local needs and are less prone to the attractions of migration. [author’s description]