Question NW2555 to the Minister of Health
22 September 2023 - NW2555
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
What steps will his department take to address the brain drain of medical professionals to foreign countries, which is an apparent rebellion against the Government’s proposed National Health Insurance?
Reply:
The department has noted media reports regarding apparent rebellion against the Government’s proposed National Health Insurance. Brain drain of health personnel in search of a better standard of living and life quality, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide is a common global phenomenon.
As long ago as 1998 Weiner, Mitchell, Price published findings that data from South African medical schools suggested that a third to a half of medical graduates emigrated to the developed world. There are many well documented ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors, such as:
Push Factors
- Financial reasons
- Limited career opportunities
- Poor working conditions and management (corruption, limited resources, equip. etc.)
- Political instability, war, violence
Pull Factors
- Financial reasons
- Greater career opportunities
- Better opportunities for family (schooling, living conditions, etc.)
- Recruitment by destination countries
Policies that are currently in place to control healthcare worker migration have, since May 2010, included the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. This is a voluntary protocol that sets principles and recommendations for health workers and associated stakeholders concerning migration. The key components of the code include:
- Commitment to assisting countries facing critical health workforce shortages
- Investment in information systems to monitor international migration of health workers
- Emphasis on education and efforts to retain health workforces in member states
- Protection of migrant worker’s rights
- Responsible recruitment policies by destination/receiving countries and fair treatment of migrant health workers
Our own policy considers directly addressing some of the push and pull factors that drive health workers to migrate. But the issue is complex and multifaceted, particularly because demand remains for healthcare workers in developed countries.
END.