Restricting the Movement of Physicians and Nurses from Developing to Developed Nations - Essay Example

"Restricting the Movement of Physicians and Nurses from Developing to Developed Nations" is a great example of a paper on the health system.
This group opposes the resolve that a cohesive international effort should be made to restrict the movement of physicians and nurses from developing to developed nations. The proposers of this resolve argue that allowing or not anything to restrict this movement entrenches brain drain. They view the movement as depriving developing nations of a much-needed skilled healthcare workforce. Additionally, there is an argument that condoning this migration will aggravate the inequalities between developing and developed nations in social and economic aspects. Opponents of this resolve, however, believe that the move to restrict this migration will be tantamount to curtailing the individual freedom of these health workers especially their choice of where to live and work. Secondly, the move would cut on the foreign income that developing nations get from their Diaspora populations. Thirdly, some of the emigrant health workers seek employment opportunities abroad seeking refuge from civil and political unrest, and restricting their movement into developed nations would take away their peace (Stilwell et. al., 2004).

Discussion

An international effort to restrict the movement of physicians and nurses from developing to developed nations would deny these people their individual freedom to legally settle or work where they wish. If health workers from developing nations fulfill a host country’s migratory regulations such as having all genuine documentation, there would not be legal grounds, national or international, to restrict their work or stay in that country. An international effort to do this can threaten international relations, and this can affect international business. Such effort would contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the American Convention on Human Rights (Mahroum, 2001).

Human resource is one of the export products that bring foreign income to different nations. In fact, since many developing nations do not excel in other industries such as manufacturing, human resource is one of the commodities on which these nations can depend. Diaspora populations from developing nations send millions to their nations and this income aids in the provision of social amenities in their home countries. The move to restrict health workers from developing nations from going to work in developed nations might serve to impoverish these nations (Diallo, 2004).

Many developing countries experience civil and political clashes that claim many lives and disrupt normal life. These clashes result from poor governance and many people take refuge in other countries. Health workers are paid better compared to people in other occupations and their affordability enables them to fly to developed nations. It can shatter their dreams if they are restricted from taking refuge in the developed nation of their choice. The working conditions in developing nations remain poor compared to those in developed countries and physicians and nurses cannot be blamed for seeking to work in places where they know they will be compensated better for their services. Physicians and nurses from developed nations are paid up to two times better than their counterparts are from developing nations (Stilwell et. al., 2004). 

Conclusion

In summary, an international effort to curtail the movement of physicians and nurses from developing to developed nations will interfere with their choice of the place of work and settlement. The move would also reduce the foreign income that these health workers send to their countries of origin. Finally, the effort can take away the peaceful refuge that these workers find in their host countries.