Forging solutions to health worker migration

All over the world increased demand from wealthier countries resulting from ageing populations and medical advances has pulled large numbers of health workers from some of the worlds poorest countries - many of whom are left with acute shortages of health workers of their own. Africa carries 25% of the worlds disease burden yet has only 3% of the worlds health workers and 1% of the worlds economic resources to meet that challenge. Migration together with other factors in many source countries such as insufficient health systems low wages and poor working conditions are key factors determining low health-worker density in countries with the lowest health indicators In Zambia for example there are fewer than 0.12 physicians for every 1000 people whereas Italy enjoys 4.2 physicians for every 1000 people. Between 1993 and 2002 Ghana lost 604 trained doctors; roughly half of all doctors and a third of nurses leave the country after training. Globally WHO estimates that 4.3 million more health workers are required to achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals and has identified 57 countries with critical shortages of health workers - 36 of these countries are in Africa. (excerpt)