Document Type
Migration Policy Series
Publication Date
2019
Department
Balsillie School of International Affairs
Abstract
Concerns about the negative impact of the “brain drain” of health professionals from Africa have led to a dominant narrative in which those who migrate are a permanent, and costly, loss to the country of origin and a permanent, and valuable, gain for the country of destination. South Africa is often seen as an archetypal African medical brain drain story. This report finds that, while the traditional permanent-exodus model has a powerful hold and shapes policy responses, it does not adequately capture all forms of migration by South African doctors. Noting that a significant number of physicians have taken up temporary work outside South Africa, the report situates their experience in the context of the opportunities within countries in the Global North and Gulf States for the temporary employment of doctors. The report concludes that the dominant brain drain narrative overlooks the complex nature of South African physician migration. It also shows that temporary employment overseas increases the chances of permanent emigration later, with all South African doctors displaying extremely high permanent emigration potential. Therefore, while the brain drain narrative needs to be rethought, it cannot be jettisoned. The report argues that government has failed to produce solutions to this intractable problem and that, whatever the merits of recent policy initiatives to make healthcare more accessible, there are indications that they will exacerbate rather than mitigate the brain drain.
Recommended Citation
Crush, J. (2019). Rethinking the South African Medical Brain Drain Narrative. Waterloo, ON: Southern African Migration Programme. SAMP Migration Policy Series No. 81.