BMA calls on government to tackle healthcare skills drain at G8

The G8 nations must address the exodus of healthcare workers from the developing world if they are to tackle global poverty, the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing tell the government today (Friday 17 June, 2005).

BMA chairman Mr James Johnson and RCN General Secretary Dr Beverly Malone warn that the migration of healthcare workers from developing nations is not only claiming millions of lives, but also preventing the world’s poorest people from escaping poverty. In joint letters to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor today, they call for the crisis to be dealt with at the G8 summit next month, and for developed countries to work towards self-sufficiency in their healthcare workforces.

The letters praise the government for taking a “strong moral lead” on global poverty, but warn that efforts to deal with HIV and other health crises in the developing world are being hampered by shortages of staff: ”The prevention and treatment of ill health are essential prerequisites to enable poor people to escape poverty. The lack of healthcare workers in developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, is an emergency that demands urgent action”, the letter to Tony Blair says.

In a separate letter they congratulate Gordon Brown for publicly acknowledging the importance of vaccination programmes in developing countries, but warn that “one of the main barriers to achieving vaccination targets is likely to be a lack of healthcare professionals in the countries concerned.”

The World Health Organisation estimates that one million more healthcare workers are needed in sub-Saharan African countries if they are to meet basic health goals, such as reducing childhood and maternal mortality. The joint letters are accompanied by a statement of principles agreed by the BMA, the RCN, and international medical associations, which warns that migration of doctors and nurses from developing to developed countries has had a catastrophic effect and calls on all governments to sign up to ethical recruitment policies and end the ‘poaching’ of staff from the developing world:

“The UK government has led the way in establishing a code of good practice for ethical recruitment. It is now essential that other developed countries, such as the USA, make a similar commitment to address the issue” the letter to the Prime Minister says.

Copies of both letters have been sent to the ministers responsible for health in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.