South Africa is one of the most developed countries in the continent of Africa. However, it is still known as a developing country in comparison to the rest of the world. The need for health care workers in a developing country is higher than what is needed in a developed country, as there are higher risks of contracting infectious diseases or conditions. South Africa has a major issue with the spread of HIV/AIDS & Tuberculosis with approximately 7 million people living with AIDS in South Africa (UNAIDS, 2017).
Despite this dire need for health care professionals in South Africa, many health care workers are still migrating to more developed countries throughout Europe, North America and Australia.
Many South African doctors are migrating to these developed countries for many reasons. These reasons include better health care facilities to work in, higher remuneration for services rendered, better opportunities to further studies or research and generally to have a better standard of life. While this may be very beneficial towards the health care worker and the developed country, it has a negative impact on the health care system in South Africa. In 2003, the United Kingdom the amount of health care workers reached an all-time high with 13967 doctors being registered from outside the UK (Naicker, Plange-Rhule, Tutt, & Eastwood, 2009). Furthermore, during 2003, this number included the approved work permits for an estimated 5880 health works from South Africa alone (Naicker, Plange-Rhule, Tutt, & Eastwood, 2009). That is nearly 6000 fewer health workers available to the South African population in the health care system.
The ratio of doctor to patient ratio decreases resulting in an increase of workload for the health workers in the country. The fewer doctors we have available in hospitals and clinics leads to patients receiving a lower quality of care. This is very evident in public hospitals where patients are forced to wait hours to receive care due to the shortage of doctors and nurses. These patients are either forced to leave and return the following day or if they are able to receive the care it will not be of the same quality as compared to the care received by patients in developed countries or private hospitals.
This issue can be dealt with in many ways with developed and developing countries working in unison. The developed countries should train more personnel to meet the needs of the country so that it is not necessary for the migrant health workers to move into the country. They should also end the recruitment of doctors and other professionals from developing countries who are in need (Naicker, Plange-Rhule, Tutt, & Eastwood, 2009). On the other hand, developing countries should also attempt to make migrating to other countries less desirable to these health workers. This can be achieved by providing them with incentives and adequate working conditions.
I believe this issue can be resolved in South Africa with proper development and funding being provided to the public health care system.
References
Naicker, S., Plange-Rhule, J., Tutt, R. C., & Eastwood, J. B. (2009). SHORTAGE OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES—AFRICA. Ethnicity & Disease, S1-60 – S1-62.
UNAIDS. (2018). UNAIDS DATA 2018.Geneva: UNAIDS.
One thought on “Migration of South African health care professionals – M. Yaseen Williams”
Hi Mogamad! I believe you are discussing a really important problem in your assignment, and the photo you took supplements your text in a very good way. Well done!
It sounds like a truly difficult dilemma, with health care personnel getting an education in SA, working till they have paid off their scholarships and then moving away. I understand why that happens – you explain it well in your assignment, and I honestly can’t blame them for it. At the same time, it puts a huge burden on health care workers who have to/ choose to stay in SA and also patients, as you mention.
I think you give a very well-argued and good allround overview, with references to back your claims and clear lines of thoughts. I guess, what you could think about doing, is to incorporate how this mechanism you talk about affects patients in the SA health care system. What do they notice? How do they notice it? Is it evident when health care personell wants to move away? In what way does it affect patients when health care personell is overworked?
It is necessary to see the big picture of the problem the way you describe it to understand the full dynamic of this problem, I believe. But if you can incorporate concrete examples of how it affects patients in the SA health care system, I would say you have thoroughly succeeded in answering what this assignment asked for.
Otherwise, I would say your assignment is very well-written, with good content, referencing and a well-researched argument! Nicely done!
I really enjoyed reading your text and learning a bit more about the situation in SA!
(Especially because I want to do it the other way around. I will move to South Africa in a few years together with my South African fiancé. I completely fell in love with your country and I want to truly become a physiotherapist there!)
Anyway, good luck with your studies!
Best regards,
Maike