Managing Brain-Drain from Developing Countries to Developed Ones

The migration of health and education professionals from developing countries carries with it the risk that these countries may not have the skills and the numbers needed to help them achieve their Millennium Development Goals.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox made this point at the opening of the British Medical Association Conference in London, UK, on 14 April 2005. It bore the theme, 'The Global Health Professional: Improving Health, Fighting Poverty'.

Mr Cox stressed that the migration of these valuable human resources from developing countries has the potential to undermine their development efforts. "The international migration of health and education professionals from many developing countries carries with it the risk that these countries, despite their substantial investment in training, may not have the skills and the numbers needed to help them achieve their Millennium Development Goals in the health and education sectors."

As the economic costs of training professionals impose a heavy burden on national treasuries, the Deputy Secretary-General said the migration of these professionals increases the social costs for those denied an education or adequate health care due to the shortages of trained teachers or health workers.

Mr Cox recognised that migration can benefit individuals through increased income, acquisition of new skills and improved social status leading to a better quality of life. For developing countries, migration generates valuable foreign exchange through remittances. This, he said, can have a significant impact on reducing poverty levels. Taking these issues into account, the Deputy Secretary-General stated the need to have a dialogue to find solutions that are to the mutual benefit of the professionals and their country of origin, as well as the country of destination. He pointed out that the Commonwealth Secretariat has facilitated the development of a Commonwealth Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health Workers. It is premised on the Commonwealth values of mutual support and fairness.

"This Code provides a framework for interaction between countries as they seek to meet the basic health needs of their populations. It is sensitive to the needs of both recipient and source countries, and to the rights of individual health professionals," said Mr Cox.

The Code does not advocate that governments limit or hinder the freedom of individuals in their choice of where to live and work, but serves as a guideline for the international recruitment of health workers, while discouraging targeted recruitment from specific countries.

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 231, 20 April 2005