02.03.03.01. Does migration play a role in the availability of health care workers? What are the migration patterns? | South Africa

02.03.03.01. Does migration play a role in the availability of health care workers? What are the migration patterns? | South Africa

13 Aug 2022

Migration of health workers has been a major concern in South Africa for many years (Mahlathi & Dlamini, 2015; Rawat, 2012). There is no systematic means of monitoring and collecting data to monitor the movement of professionals within and out of the country – 2 processes that have contributed to a high turnover of specifically South African nurses (Mahlathi & Dlamini, 2015). A third of doctors (i.e., 8921) registered with the country’s regulating body, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), were abroad in 2006 as well as 6844 nurses, and 7642 other health professionals (DOH, 2011).

References:

DOH. (2011). HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH SOUTH AFRICA (HRH) Department of Health. Available from: http://www.hst.org.za/publications/NonHST Publications/hrh_strategy-2.pdf

Mahlathi, P., & Dlamini, J. (2015). MINIMUM DATA SETS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH AND THE SURGICAL WORKFORCE IN SOUTH AFRICA’S HEALTH SYSTEM: A rapid analysis of stock and migration. Available from: http://www.prographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/0316-south-africa-case-studies-web.pdf

Rawat, A. (2012). Gaps and shortages in South Africa’s health workforce. Backgrounder, 31(June), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4424.0805