PAHO to conduct study on migration of health workers in Caribbean

The Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization (PAHOIWHO) has launched a new study that will survey current migration trends of health care workers in the Caribbean (CARICOM) Region.

The results of the survey will be used to develop recommendations and address the challenges that migration poses for the health sector of countries involved.

The study will be conducted over a three-month period in 16 CARICOM countries and territories: Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad, Turks and Caicos Islands and the English-speaking islands of the OECS.

From June 11 to 12,2018, PAHO Lead Consultant Cleophas Justine Pierre will be in Dominica to review the current migration trend of health workers in Dominica.

The research team is planning to meet with representatives of the Ministries of Health, Labour and Education, hospital managers, general practitioners, and primary health care provider groups, amongst others.

Dominica’s Coordinator for the study, Principal Nursing Officer (PNO) Terrilia Ravaliere, endorses and welcome the study.

“It will redress immensely the challenges that migration of health workers poses not just to the Dominican population but to the Caribbean. It would be very much beneficial to the Ministry of Health as well, as we are currently faced with the nursing migration issue. We are appreciative of the study as it not only seeks to address nursing migration but migration within the entire health sector as Human Resource for health is significant,” she said.

The outcomes of the survey will inform policy on health workforce migration in the Caribbean and contribute to the implementation of the WHO/PAHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

“The situation with regards to health care workers in the Caribbean and in most countries in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is critical, with many persons opting to leave the region for better working conditions, higher salaries, and better job security”, said Erika Wheeler, PAHO Sub regional Advisor on Human Resources for Health.

Jessie Schutt-Aine, Coordinator of the PAHO Sub regional Program for the Eastern Caribbean stated, “The Region will soon face one of the most critical shortages in the labour market of health workers in its history if nothing is done to reverse the trend of low in-migration and high out- migration levels within the Anglo-Caribbean. The undersupply of health practitioners will impact negatively on both the quality and sustain ability of health systems, especially in the smaller islands of the region”.

The latest projections from World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank reveal that the migration and shortages of health care workers in the Americas, and particularly in the Caribbean Region, are impacting significantly on health systems and services. The problem is global in nature, with health workforce mobility increasing to meet the estimated 40 million new health care jobs required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to health by 2030.

The PAHO Office of the Caribbean Sub regional Program Coordination, with support from PAHO’s Department of Health Systems and Services, is working to address migration- related shortages of human resources for health in the Caribbean.

The recently approved PAHO Strategy on Human Resources for Universal Health (CSP29/10, 24 July 2017) urges countries to increase public investment in human resources for health, especially at the first level of care.

The strategy aims to guide national policies to cover a shortfall of nearly 800,000 health workers in the Region of the Americas.

As health care workers continue to leave the Caribbean, the study’s findings will help countries address future health systems needs in human resources for health.

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2 Comments

  1. RasB
    June 10, 2018

    The Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization (PAHOIWHO) has launched a new study that will survey current migration trends of health care workers in the Caribbean (CARICOM) Region.
    WHAT RUBBISH? What question is this study trying to answer? Is it why health care personnel migrate? Should that be the case, the answer is in the body of the article: “The situation with regards to health care workers in the Caribbean and in most countries in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is critical, with many persons opting to leave the region for better working conditions, higher salaries, and better job security”, said Erika Wheeler, PAHO Sub regional Advisor on Human Resources for Health.

    It is noteworthy that no effort will be made to interview the health care worker. What a great study!!!!!

  2. meka
    June 9, 2018

    In my opinion nurses and other health care workers will always feel inclined to search elsewhere to seek greener pastures. I cant speak for the other regions , but in Dominica employee motivation is on a down low and those in superior positions fail to acknowledge that employees require continuous empowerment in terms of constant and continuous:
    1. Training and upward mobility 2.Improvement in working conditions and adequate resources 3.Proper incentives 4. Good pay
    Until these areas are not adequately addressed the problem will surely continue

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