Taking More Than a Fair Share? The Migration of Health Professionals from Poor to Rich Countries

Abstract

The international migration of health workers, especially of physicians and nurses but also increasingly of other health workers, has become a major global health concern. Most of the migration of health professionals is occurring from countries with physician densities of about 17 per 100,000 population to countries with densities of 300 per 100,000 population. Because of this, developing countries may find it difficult to meet the Millennium Development Goals [PloS Medicine May 2005].health workers, professionals, migration, MDGs