More US docs needed
Published March 05, 2009 @ 07:18PM PT
A few years ago, the Joint Learning Initative, a project specifically organized to look at the global health worker crisis, released a report with a few key findings and recommendations. One of the $$$ findings:
"Wealthy nations must educate enough of their own nationals, the group says, rather than rely on doctors and nurses whose training has been paid for by African countries that are losing the fight against disease. The African Union estimates that poor countries subsidize rich ones with $500 million a year through the migration of health workers."
Expanding medical school enrollment in the US, while not an obvious solution to many, is absolutely necessary if we're to stem the brain drain. Of course, that's only a small piece to the puzzle, as docs trained in developing countries need much greater support and stronger health systems in which to live and work.
Health workers the pillars for global health equity
Published March 01, 2009 @ 09:34PM PT
credit: Worldmapper
The map to the right, distorted to show the distribution of nurses working, serves as a stark reminder of how unequal global relationships perpetuate a cycle of poverty and suffering for billions on our planet. Health workers, among them nurses, doctors, technicians, pharmacists, and others, are not only the critical lifeblood of health systems, but are often the lonely advocates of the poor. Unfortunately, they are, along with the poor, too often ignored.
On this blog, I hope to shed light on the necessity of investing in health workers in various ways. To start, check out a basic WHO primer on the issue. We'll be back soon with more thoughts on the challenge and ways forward.
