From Bryan Liang and Tim Mackey: Resource reallocation, health worker migration, and global health

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22572198

Health Policy. 2012 May 7. [Epub ahead of print]

Rebalancing brain drain: Exploring resource reallocation to address health worker migration and promote global health.

Mackey TK, Liang BA.

Source

Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, United States; Joint Doctoral Program on Global Health, University of California San Diego-San Diego State University, United States.

Abstract

Global public health is threatened by an imbalance in health worker migration from resource-poor countries to developed countries. This "brain drain" results in health workforce shortages, health system weakening, and economic loss and waste, threatening the well-being of vulnerable populations and effectiveness of global health interventions. Current structural imbalances in resource allocation and global incentive structures have resulted in 57 countries identified by WHO as having a "critical shortage" of health workers. Yet current efforts to strengthen domestic health systems have fallen short in addressing this issue. Instead, global solutions should focus on sustainable forms of equitable resource sharing. This can be accomplished by adoption of mandatory global resource and staff-sharing programs in conjunction with implementation of state-based health services corps.