New Data on African Health Professionals Abroad
Author Information
Author(s): Clemens Michael A, Pettersson Gunilla
Primary Institution: Center for Global Development
Hypothesis
What is the extent of African health professionals' migration to developed countries?
Conclusion
This study provides the first systematic measure of African-born health professionals working in developed countries.
Supporting Evidence
- Approximately 65,000 African-born physicians and 70,000 African-born professional nurses were working overseas in a developed country in the year 2000.
- This represents about one fifth of African-born physicians in the world, and about one tenth of African-born professional nurses.
- The fraction of health professionals abroad varies enormously across African countries, from 1% to over 70% according to the occupation and country.
Takeaway
Many doctors and nurses from Africa work in other countries, and this study shows how many there are. Some countries have a lot of their health workers abroad, while others have very few.
Methodology
The study used destination-country census data to estimate the number of African-born doctors and nurses working abroad in developed countries around the year 2000.
Potential Biases
There may be biases in how 'African' health professionals are defined and counted, affecting the accuracy of the data.
Limitations
The study relies on census data, which may not capture all health professionals, especially those who have left the health sector.
Participant Demographics
The study focuses on African-born doctors and professional nurses working in developed countries.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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