The Covid-19 crisis has raised crucial issues regarding access to medical and healthcare services across the globe. In a world which is witnessing a rapidly ageing population and increased prevalence of chronic diseases, the migration of healthcare professionals assumes particular importance as it affects their global demand and supply. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated a shortage of 18 million health workers in the world by the year 2030. The shortage is particularly acute in parts of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
This scenario needs to be read in conjunction with the following facts as far as healthcare sector in India is concerned. Firstly, India continues to be a leading country of origin for physicians who are living and working abroad. Around 69,000 Indian-trained physicians worked in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia in the year 2017. Further more than 15,000 doctors in the UK National Health Services (NHS) received their primary medical qualification in India (as per 2017 figures), and Indians represented the top non-British nationality for NHS staff as of early 2019. Similarly, a vast majority of healthcare workers in GCC Countries are expatriates and Indians constitute a significant share of this expatriate workforce.
Secondly, while over 30,000 doctors graduate every year and become part of India’s health workforce, India continues to witness a shortage of healthcare professionals, and it is expected that the system will experience further strain due to Covid 19. India currently has a doctor-population ratio of 1:1457 as per current population estimate of 1.35 billion, which is lower than the WHO norm of 1:1000. (Medical Council of India). Similarly, India has a Nurse-Population ratio of about 1:675 against the WHO norm of 3:1000 (Indian Nursing Council).
The mismatch between the demand and supply of healthcare workers not only impacts access to healthcare but also the global migration of healthcare professionals at large. Countries facing shortage of health workers such as Caribbean nations and Philippines have entered into institutional arrangements to facilitate migration of healthcare professionals while factoring in the fulfilment of domestic demand. Further, the need to meet domestic demand has to be balanced against individual aspirations to earn a better living abroad that drives the movement of health care workers.
Approaches to address the migration of heath care workers necessitate balancing the domestic demand vis a vis the demand of such professionals in other countries. Given the massive surge in demand the sector is expected to face, it is also crucial to develop strategic approaches towards regulating the flow of healthcare workers between India and other nations.
The discussion aims to deliberate (but not limited to) the following aspects of health care sector migration:
Against this backdrop, the India Centre for Migration is organising a virtual seminar titled, “Mapping India’s Need versus Foreign Demand: Case of Healthcare Sector”on 28 May, 1500 to 1700 hrs. Participants for the seminar will include government officers, academicians, policy practitioners, health sector functionaries and international organisations, recruiting agents etc.