3.3 Strategies for dealing with the international mobility of rural doctors
International mobility of workers is recognised as important
in providing much needed skills, cross fertilisation and international understanding.
It is vital that such mobility is supported without causing a drain of talented
professionals from less developed countries.
Many rural health teams rely on the recruitment of overseas
trained doctors. This requires careful management to ensure that the doctors
are appropriately trained for their new environment, and that disadvantaged
countries do not lose their doctors to countries with a higher standard of living.
Attention must be paid to the following:
Strategies
3.3.1 Appropriate processes to enable reasonable international
mobility of doctors prepared to undertake rural service positions and exchange
programs.
3.3.2 Governments of countries experiencing damaging “brain
drain” must be encouraged to explore the reasons why and to ensure regular
and fair provision of at least a “living wage” and adequate basic
support in terms of tools and equipment to maintain an adequate medical service
where they practice
3.3.3 Governments and medical councils that rely on doctors
from other countries to serve their needs should be encouraged to consider the
effect that their policies are having on the other disadvantaged countries,
and take corrective action.
3.3.4 Health services and governments which employ
doctors from developing countries should be required to make a contribution
to the support of rural doctors in their country of origin
3.3.5 To encourage each country to meet their own
needs for medical workforce.