Health Workers Migration

Health Workers Migration Shortages of health workers in developing countries are the result of a global trend known as ‘brain drain’. Many young health workers from developing countries choose to stay in foreign countries after completing their studies in order to receive well-paid jobs. As a result, the health care in many communities in developing countries does not respond to standards because of the significant paucity of doctors and nurses. ‘Brain drain’ can be discussed as a global trend that is caused by social and economic factors, and its potential impact on the global health is negative because of significant reductions in the quality of health care in many world regions. Thus, ‘brain drain’ is a notion used to describe the global trend of the health workers’ migration. It is possible to speak about ‘brain drain’ when competent health workers from developing countries move to the developed countries in search of a better life. The obvious r esult of such migrations is the disproportionate distribution of health workers in developing and developed countries (Kill or Cure: Doctors and Nurses, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Health Workers’ Migration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The current impact of this trend on the global health is the acute shortage of the workforce in heath care facilities in many Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries. The potential negative impact on the global population’s health is more dramatic because of the impossibility of doctors in developing countries to control epidemics (Kasper Bajunirwe, 2012, p. 974). Furthermore, ‘brain drain’ affects the health status of developing nations during decades, and it is a significant barrier to the development of global health goals and to the implementation of relevant health care policies. While referring to the factors that can contribute to the progress of ‘brain drain’, it is necessary to focus on such economic factors as low wages and economic statuses in developing countries and such social factors as the lack of educational opportunities, the stable growth of population in developing countries, and the limited access to health care services. African countries suffer from the crisis in the health care industry because physicians and nurses affected by problematic economic and social situations choose to study and work in Europe (Kill or Cure: Doctors and Nurses, 2010). As a result, trying to escape difficult economic conditions, health workers from developing countries support the development of the ‘brain drain’ tendency and the worsening on the social situation in their native countries while referring to the health care provision. In order to address the crisis in the global health and respond to the problem of health workers’ migration, it is necessary to recommend an effective strategy to follow in such developing countries as Malawi and India. The active ‘brain drain’ results in reducing the number of health workers for every 10,000 people in developing countries (Kasper Bajunirwe, 2012, p. 974).Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To address the problem, it is necessary to propose the combination of economic and social strategies. Thus, in order to attract health workers to developing regions, it is necessary to improve funding and support in health care industries of developing countries. The effective strategy should respond to the health workers’ expectations regarding their wages and working conditions. Investments into health care, additional funding, support of the research, and increases in health workers’ salaries are important to attract nurses and doctors (Kasper Bajunirwe, 2012, p. 976). The next step i s the improvement of the occupational safety, working conditions, and competence with the help of international workforce policies and training programs provided by the world health organizations and other global public organizations. It is possible to state that the lack of the competent health personnel is a problem typical for developing countries that is caused by ‘brain drain’ effects. Inadequate working conditions make health workers migrate to developed countries in search of a better life in spite of the fact that their skills and knowledge are necessary in developing countries of Africa and Asia. The results of this trend are workforce shortages and unequal distribution of health services in regions. Critique   1 ‘Brain drain’ is a complex process which should be discussed from two perspectives. On the one hand, ‘brain drain’ can be described as a loss of health workers in developing countries because of the active migration. On the other hand, ‘brain drain’ is a lack of the access to the research results observed in developing countries. Following the statistical data, it is possible to state that high-income countries provide jobs for more than 30% of all international medical graduates (Muula, 2005, p. 24). From this perspective, only 10% of health care workers return to their native developing countries because low-income countries cannot provide them with all the necessary conditions for the effective work (Muula, 2005, p. 25).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Health Workers’ Migration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Health care workers seek for respect and prestige while working in developed countries. Moreover, contributing to the research in the health care sphere, medical professionals have no adequate opportunities to influence the development of health care in their native countries. As a result, ‘brain drai n’ as a global tendency can be discussed as having a negative effect on the distribution of the human capital in the health care industry and on the reduction of health care issues in low-income countries. The potential impact of ‘brain drain’ on the health in developing countries can be considered as dramatic because of the necessity to overcome workforce shortages. Critique 2 Responding to the question about factors which influence ‘brain drain’, it is important to refer to such aspects as poor resources and significant income differences between developed and developing countries. Being provided with superior job opportunities in high-income countries, health workers intend to improve the socioeconomic conditions. Thus, the social and political instability observed in developing countries is one more contributing factor to the development of the ‘brain drain’ tendency. The problem is in the fact that medical students undertaking feel safe protected while studying and working in developed countries. Returning to their native countries, the medical workers focus on the poor availability of resources and facilities (Blacklock, Ward, Heneghan, 2014, p. 100). Thus, a lack of resources and adequate health care facilities is a leading cause of death in developing countries. In this regard, health workers prefer working in countries where research is funded and health care reforms are effectively implemented. The factor of comfortable working environments and opportunities for the career growth and development also influence health workers’ decisions. The structure of the health care industry in developing countries is one more factor that contributes to ‘brain drain’ because of the extreme workflow and inadequate investment in the healthcare service delivery (Blacklock et al., 2014, p. 100). Having no job satisfaction and prospects for further education, health workers choose to migrate in order to receive effective training and opportunities for the career progress.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Blacklock, C., Ward, A., Heneghan, C. (2014). Exploring the migration decisions of health workers and trainees from Africa: a meta-ethnographic synthesis. Social Science Medicine, 100(2), 99-106. Kasper, J., Bajunirwe, F. (2012). Brain drain in sub-Saharan Africa: contributing factors, potential remedies and the role of academic medical centres. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 97(11), 973-979. Kill or Cure: Doctors and Nurses. (2010). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPaMwIkx2PA Muula, A. (2005). Is there any solution to the brain drain of health professionals and knowledge from Africa? Croatian Medical Journal, 46(1), 21-29.