[afro-nets] Efforts under way to stem brain drain of doctors...(7)

[Tarry Asoka <carenet2020@yahoo.co.uk>]

Efforts under way to stem brain drain of doctors...(7)
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"WANTED: A GLOBAL CLEARING HOUSE FOR DOCTORS' EMPLOYMENT"

I think this is the sort of 'mechanism' that is required to en-
sure an equitable distribution of doctors across the world and
indeed Africa.

What I am suggesting needs a new mindset in the first instance
and then the will to implement can follow. This essentially is
to pull together all available medical manpower required for es-
sential health care in all nations, then provide matching funds
through the UN system, notably WHO, to off set the pay differ-
ence countries are able and willing to pay their doctors. In
this manner, doctors themselves will have the incentive to work
not only in their countries but also in countries where the need
is greatest.

This will work particularly well for Africa where there is al-
ready a lot of internal brain drain within the continent. It all
lead to the point that Africans want to serve in Africa if the
conditions are right.

Herein the challenge for NEPAD and indeed WHO AFRO to set up an
'AFRICAN MEDICAL BUREAU' that can redistribute medical personnel
across the continent based on actual need by pulling all finan-
cial resources from all the G8 countries, the likes of the Bill
Gates Foundation and all international 'do-gooders' who will
soon fall over themselves when the 'real Tsunami' strikes Africa
again.

I think people should look for practical solutions rather than
making doctors the escape goats. Now it is turn of doctors, it
may jolly well be that of IT engineers. Africans may be slow
learners but they are really good when they have learned.


Tari Asoka
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Tel.: +234-802-304-8497
mailto:carenet2020@yahoo.co.uk