By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Cash Transfers: Good for HIV/AIDS Too
    August 9, 2012
    unnecessary medical tests
    Eagerly Awaiting the Death of Defensive Medicine
    September 5, 2013
    Image
    Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
    December 17, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Workers Mobility Around the World
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Global Healthcare > Health Workers Mobility Around the World
Global HealthcareNews

Health Workers Mobility Around the World

matthieublit
matthieublit
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

In some Gulf states, more than 50% of health workers are migrants. 75% of Mozambican doctors and 56,000 indians physicians work abroad.

In some Gulf states, more than 50% of health workers are migrants. 75% of Mozambican doctors and 56,000 indians physicians work abroad. The situation can get to the absurd point of having more Ethiopian doctors in Chicago than in Ethiopia itself!
These few figures were carefully quoted as the more extreme examples of health workers migration consequences, but even when it comes down to more ponderated observation, there is no way to deny that health workers migration is a real issue (as shown in this infographic).

The globalization of the work force market (supply and demand) logically leads to these migration movements.
Besides the obvious financial reasons, health workers are looking for better job and career opportunities, and greater professional satisfaction (be it linked to material or to managerial conditions). As other types of migrants, they are also moving away from difficult national context (political instability, war, violence, etc.).
But the roots of the phenomenon also lies in the destination countries needing these professionals to take care of their aging population, to face the rise of chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease (especially in rural areas); but also to compensate the decrease of their health work force (aging and insufficient).
The causes are various, and so are the consequences. They can be positive, as it allows migrants to get better job conditions and destination countries to face some tricky health and populational issues. Because some of the migrant professionals return to their countries, it also helps to bring back there skills and expertise. And, as it is the case for every kind of migration, the remittances can be a financial support for the source country population.
But, on the other hand, it means significant losses in investments in health worker education, shortage of health professionals, and even the collapse of health system for the source country.
On a more personal level, it is also important to remember that leaving your own country and adapting yourself to an other culture, language and professional context is not always an easy process. Especially when it comes down to getting equivalence for the skills acquired or facing the lack of full recognition of education and work experience.
Because of the globality of the problematic, politics about health care workers in one country have direct effects on others. It means the issue needs to be addressed on a trans-national level, through a global strategy and international cooperation. That is, for example, the objective of the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. It was conceived to achieve an equitable balance of the interests of health workers, for source and destination countries, and to propose recommendations: better workforce retention, treatment and training conditions (and policies facilitating the return of the migrants) for the source countries; efforts towards reducing the dependency on foreign workers, improvement of the recruitment policies and treatments of the migrants for the destination countries.
However, as global initiatives can not cover the more specific aspects of the phenomenon, national strategies are also developed. Some destination countries, like Canada, develop their own policy to optimize these migration movements (better access to health sector, profession-specific language training, proposition to address financial difficulties, counseling, information, etc.). And some source country adapt their health system to face the most urgent problems (as does the Pakistan through the hiring and training of the Lady Health Workers, for example).

Concluding on such a topic would be presumptuous, as it is (and will be) an on-going dynamic process linked to a multiplicity of factors. Information and initiatives about the issue are many (the MoHProf – Mobility of Health Professionals; the AHRNI – Applied Health Research Networks Initiative (AHRNI); etc.). But this information often focus on a general point of view (statistics, policies, etc.). Health workers migrations, like all migrations, are not only made of numbers and proposals. They are made of individuals, histories, specific places and moments.
That is why we would be interested to hear about your testimonies, thoughts, experiences,  about the way you lived (or are still living) the causes and consequences of this global issue, be it from the source or from the destination country point of view.
Feel free to tell and share!

More Read

Image
Mobile Health Around the Globe: How to Incentivize mHealth Innovation – Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize Update
People in High-Deductible Plans Short-Change Prevention
3 Healthcare Technology Advances Transforming The Industry
MRI Sedation Options: What You Should Know Before Screening
Advance Practice Nurse Solution: Making Healthcare Affordable for All
TAGGED:healthcare workers
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

HR staff must deal with divisive views in healthcare
BusinessGlobal HealthcareHospital AdministrationPolicy & Law

HR Must Navigate Polarizing Views in Healthcare Workplaces

January 4, 2023
antibiotics for a virus are always inappropriate
NewsPublic Health

Antibiotics for a Virus? How to Just Say No

March 27, 2012

Genomics– a Revolution in Medicine – Part I

April 11, 2012

The Benefits of Specialty Pharmacy: For Hospitals & Health Systems

December 12, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?