Developing evidence-based ethical policies on the migration of health workers: conceptual and practical challenges

It is estimated that in 2000 almost 175 million people, or 2.9% of the world's population, were living outside their country of birth. Medical practitioners and nurses represent a small proportion of highly skilled workers who migrate, but the loss of health human resources for developing countries can mean that the capacity of the health system to deliver health care equitably is compromised. This paper, published in Human Resources for Health, aims to better understand the international migration of health workers in order to develop policy options with which migration can be managed.

The paper suggests that compensating the donor country for the cost of educating the migrating health professional may be more likely to preserve individual freedom than policies to restrict exit or entrance of individuals, though evidence and further analysis are needed to support such a policy recommendation. Other costs such as the loss of taxation, loss of work contribution of the migrant and loss of health to the population should also be taken into account. A study is currently underway to model costs associated with migration, and this may provide a basis for further exploring compensatory mechanisms [adapted from author].