Health worker migration from South Africa: causes, consequences and policy responses

Table 4 Some strategies to mitigate health worker migration and address health worker shortages in South Africa

Scope	Strategy
Global agreements	• Commonwealth Code (2003)
	• Health Worker Migration Initiative (2007)
	• WHO Global Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel (2010)
Domestic policy statements on migration	• South Africa’s Policy statements on health worker immigration (2001; 2006)^a
Bilateral agreements	• UK/South Africa MOU (2003)
	• Cuba (1996)
	• Germany
	• Tunisia (1999 and 2007 technical agreement)
	• Iran 2004
	• US PEPFAR/Medical and Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (2013)
Destination country agreements with potential to impact South African migrants	• UK NHS Code of Practice on the Ethical Recruitment of Health Professionals (2004)
South African initiatives to prevent migration by improving health system human resources for health and living and working conditions for health workers	Examples include
	• Increasing SHW production
	• Student Sponsorship Programs
	• Community Service Program
	• New SHW cadres
	• Task-shifting
	• African Health Placements
	• Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD)

^aSouth Africa has added policies limiting recruitment. In 2001, South Africa stated that it would not recruit HHR from Commonwealth and G77 countries [34]. Furthermore, South Africa agreed it will not recruit health care professionals from developing countries or Organization of African Unity countries [69].

ISSN: 1478-4491