[afro-nets] Africa Losing Nurses to Britain (8)

[A. Odutola <chpss_abo2@yahoo.com>]

Africa Losing Nurses to Britain (8)
-----------------------------------

With all due respect to Leela McCullough, Azeh John Muma and the
community of 'Afro-netters' seeking "collective thinking to bet-
ter understand the root causes and solutions to the [brain
drain] problem", it is fair to assert that copious literature on
causes, effects and proposed solutions already exist.
(See Datelinehealth-Africa.net at
http://www.datelinehealth-africa.net/betav1.0/researchreports/detailreport.asp?report_id=217 

for recently updated and comprehensive bibliography on the sub-
ject).

The main task that remains largely un-addressed is the main-
streaming of proposed solutions into policy and action at the
"push" and "pull" domains of this problem.

What can or should "Afro-netters" do or be doing?

The following are my proposals:
a) Collaborate with others (which may include focal institutions
like the WHO) to identify, organize, form and fund a broad-based
collective of knowledgeable parties ("Task Force") to develop
and implement a 5-year strategic action plan for policy advocacy
to action on the problem.

b) Task Force should be charged with:
(i) Evaluating and producing a summary dataset/blue-print from
the copious existing body of knowledge on the "push" and "pull"
[root] causes of the problem;
(ii) Crystallising all feasible proposed solutions into specific
and practical policy recommendations and implications;
(iii) Defining policy advocacy strategies and action steps for
measurable policy objectives;
(iv) Implementing advocacy strategies with sustainable recommen-
dations and action steps targeted at governments, national and
multilateral institutions of major 'brain' exporting and import-
ing countries.

The major "brain" exporting countries to be targeted in Africa
are: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda
among others. The major "brain" importing countries to be tar-
geted are; USA, UK, France, Australia among others.

Without taking away from the complexity of the problem, there is
every likelihood that such a 'Task force' as proposed above im-
plementing a five-year "Developing country 'brain drain' policy
advocacy to action strategic plan" could indeed begin to achieve
significant and measurable solutions to this complex problem.

I'll be delighted to read what others propose.

--
A. Odutola
Centre for Health Policy & Strategic Studies
34 Town Planning Way, Ilupeju
P.O. Box 7597, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel. +234-1-470-1255
Fax: +234-1-263-5285
mailto:chpss_abo2@yahoo.com