Human Resources for Health Blog

Global Community of Practice on Health Worker Migration

The Health Worker Migration Policy Initiative  invites all individuals, professionals, policy and programme managers and interest groups from around the world to participate in a virtual Global Community of Practice on Health Worker Migration, chaired by Mary Robinson, President of Realizing Rights 

How best address the challenges raised by health worker migration? What are the responsibilities of individuals, countries and as global community to support the Code of Practice?

The Global Discussion starts on 31 of March 2008 at 15.00 GMT
To join the global online community of practice, click at this url: http://my.ibpinitiative.org/public/HWMigration/

The Global Dialogue Forum will also provide you with membership to the Global Community of Practice on Health Worker Migration with access to useful and up-to-date information from our libraries including resource materials, a calendar of events, announcements discussion board, and an automatic archive of every email and document sent to that community. This Community of Practice is aimed at bringing together individuals, policy and programme managers, professionals and interest groups from around the world interested in Health Worker Migration.

Topics for discussion:

What are the current realities and dynamics contributing to health worker migration globally?
Week 1: Monday 31th March to Monday 7th April 2008

• What push and pull factor are influencing health worker migration flows in your country or region?


•  Please share with us your personal experience on why you have either chosen to leave your home country or chosen to stay?


•  In your experience how is the private sector influencing the current realities and dynamics of health worker migration?


• What role can the private sector play in effectively addressing the challenges of health worker migration? How can ethical recruitment policies be encouraged or enforced?

What innovative strategies are being tested to address issues related to health worker migration?
Week 2: Tuesday 8th April to Monday 14th April 2008

• What strategies to retain health workers seem to be working? From your experience please share examples of success stories and challenges.


• Some countries have entered into agreements to guide health worker migration and its effects between their two countries. In your opinion what has been the positive and negative aspects of these agreements?


• What can be done to encourage migrant health workers to return to their countries and be successfully integrated back into the health service? Please share examples of successful interventions and the challenges that must be addressed.

What should be the key principals and elements of a Global Code of Practice for health worker migration?
Week 3: Tuesday 15th April to Monday 21th April 2008  

• We want your input on the development of a global Code of Practice for health worker migration. Please review the attached draft framework for a global Code of Practice and share with us your comments and opinion:


• Are there any key issues not addressed?


• Do you think this Code of Practice can influence policy and programmes on health worker migration?


• What do we need to do at the country and global level to ensure that this Code of Practice is accepted and applied in practice

The World Health Organization (Department of Human Resources for Health  - WHO/HRH) in collaboration with Realizing Rights and the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA)

Posted by Mario Dal Poz at 20:02    Comments (0)