Africa's health sector is being drained of its best talent. Developed countries are actively recruiting doctors, nurses, and specialists from the continent to fill their own shortages, while at the same time cutting the aid that once supported Africa's health systems. This double blow is pushing many countries into a deeper healthcare crisis.
Professor Peter Waiswa, an expert in health policy at Makerere University, Uganda, says the consequences go beyond staff shortages—training, research, and innovation in healthcare are also suffering.
“The people that migrate are the best, not just in terms of intelligence but also training. Many of them are in teaching institutions, so when they leave, it directly impacts the future production of the workforce,” he says.
According to the Ugandan, the loss is slowing down Africa's ability to build a strong healthcare system of its own.
Beyond staffing issues, the debate over compensation for Africa's lost healthcare workers remains unresolved. Some argue that developed countries should compensate African nations for recruiting their medical professionals, given the resources invested in their education and training.
“There should be a mechanism for fair investment. Countries taking our workforce should ensure that they help strengthen our systems. But until Africa becomes stronger and negotiates as one, compensation will remain an empty discussion,” Waiswa states.
Without a structured approach, African countries are left to bear the cost of educating professionals who ultimately serve wealthier nations. He further explains that this pattern of talent extraction is not new but follows a long history of Africa's resources being exploited for the benefit of the Global North.
“It is a colonial mentality. Let them produce for us, and we’ll use money to attract their workforce, but no country is going to change the world order because it feels unfair. Africa must stop waiting for charity and take control of its own workforce,” he stresses.
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