Africas brain drain here to stay
Tigist Kassa, AfricaVox
2007-06-15
Underpaid, overworked and disillusioned: doctors and nurses are leaving Africa in droves. But the G8s response today offers nothing that will prevent further migration of Africas healthcare workers.
International
NGOs say that despite the announcements of funds for HIV and AIDS and other
diseases, the G8 has not got back on track to meet the promises they made in
2005.
Aditi
Sharma, head of ActionAids HIV and AIDS campaign, says the G8 leaders had
recognised the problems but not offered any concrete action. The shortage of
health workers was on the summit agenda, but the G8 hasnt made any specific
commitments: no specific funds, timelines or targets, she says.
A
report by the Ethiopian National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office in 2005
stated that there are just 2,115 doctors for a population of over 77 million
people and newly trained doctors all too often migrate, for better earnings
to support their extended families.
And
its not just a problem in
Ethiopia
. Collins Magalasi, director of Action Aid in
Southern Africa
, told me that over 70 per cent of the doctors and nurses trained in
Malawi
have emigrated. The G8 countries are utilising them. We cant stop doctors
leaving.
Malagasi
thinks the G8 countries should fund training institutions and provide earnings
for healthcare workers that will make it more attractive to stay in
Africa
. The solution is in the hands of the developed countries.
This
isnt a new story: despite all the talk of funding drugs and clinics for HIV,
the fact is that a continued critical shortage of doctors and nurses means
people are dying in
Ethiopia
and elsewhere in
Africa
.
The
G8 has committed to spending 60 billion to fight infectious diseases over the
next five years, but civil society groups are worried that not enough funds will
be available to retain doctors and nurses in developing countries.
Its
depressing for me to watch whats happening here at the G8. It looks like
Ill be going home to the same problems as before.
For
more information or news articles on the G8 Summit, please see the links below:
G8
must scrap trade barriers for developing nations - BuaNews
http://www.buanews.gov.za/view.php?ID=07061012451001&coll=buanew07
G8
Summit 2007
http://www.g-8.de/Webs/G8/EN/Homepage/home.html
AfricaVox
African Voices at the G8
Summit
http://panos.blogs.com/africavox2007
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