Press Release

13 February 2007

Stopping the brain-drain: £1 million boost for global health workers

Ending the shortage of doctors and nurses in the world’s poorest countries got a double boost today as Hilary Benn and Patricia Hewitt, Secretaries of State for International Development and Health, welcomed the publication of Lord Crisp’s review of how the UK can help health services in developing countries(2.64 mb) and announced £1 million for the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA).

Lord Crisp’s review, commissioned by the Prime Minister, sets out 16 key recommendations on how the UK can contribute to health services in poor countries including:

• increasing the quality of health worker training in poor countries – and helping countries retain their health workers
• responding more effectively to humanitarian disasters, and
• enhancing partnerships between UK institutions and developing countries, to allow sharing of best practice.

The UK is committing £1 million over two years to help the GHWA tackle the urgent need to find solutions to the lack of health workers in poor countries across the world. The Alliance is an international partnership set up in May 2006 to raise awareness, bring together and maximise current efforts of governments, donors and agencies to tackle the staff shortages. It has already started work in 8 countries, including 5 in the most severely affected region of sub-Saharan Africa, helping to train and support a new generation of local leaders who will develop and put in place health workforce plans for their countries.

Hilary Benn, welcoming the report, said:

“The international community is investing billions of dollars tackling major health problems, such as HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria, but these significant sums of money cannot hope to achieve their aim if poor countries do not have the systems in place to train and retain doctors and nurses.

“Lord Crisp’s review will help the UK make a more effective contribution. The review makes practical suggestions on how we can improve the way we support health systems in the poorest countries, such as increasing the flow of skills and best practice through more scholarships and helping health workers to return home with their skills and experience.

“The new funding for the international partnership, the Global Health Workforce Alliance, is another example of how we can work together to find solutions to the critical shortage of staff in developing countries.”

Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, said:

“Lord Crisp’s report is a crucial contribution to the way the UK contributes to strengthening the health capacity of the poorest parts of the world. Government now needs to look at how it can work together to take forward these recommendations, to support developing country plans and add practical value to work already underway.

“Many NHS staff have close links with developing countries – and already make a real contribution to health services in poorer countries. They often do this through unpaid leave and in their own time. A number of NHS institutions, such as Trusts and the Health Protection Agency provide valuable support to the World Health Organisation and developing countries.

“The Inter-Ministerial Group on Strengthening Health Capacity in Developing Countries, chaired by Rosie Winterton, will now consider the recommendations in Lord Crisp’s report and how best to take them forward. Many government departments have an important role to play as we take Lord Crisp’s work forward.”

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Notes to editors

1. The Prime Minister commissioned Lord Crisp to undertake a review of how the UK could contribute to health in developing countries in March 2006. The report, published today, is available on the DFID website. Hard copies can ordered online from the Department of Health website. Lord Crisp has issued a news release announcing the key recommendations from the review.

2. The Global Health Workforce Alliance was set up to carry forward the main recommendations from the World Health Report of 2006 on human resources for health. GHWA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Health Organization (WHO) in October 2006 and is currently working in 8 developing countries. GHWA members are drawn from WHO and other United Nations (UN) agencies, international donor agencies and governments, the academic community and private sector. The UK will engage closely with the Alliance to ensure that it meets its objectives.

3. The Inter-Ministerial Group on Strengthening Health Capacity in Developing Countries (IMG) was set up last year to consider how the UK can best contribute to strengthening health capacity in the developing world. The Group takes account of:

• (i) the UK’s overall international development policy objectives
• (ii) the potential of the UK NHS to offer support and practical know-how
• (iii) the potential of educational institutions to play a key role, and
• (iv) the potential of the immigration system in supporting migration that adds to the net total of skills in developing countries. The Group made recommendations for action to be taken forward by the relevant Departments within a coherent framework, and within available resources.

4. The IMG consists of: Department of Health, Department for International Department, Her Majesty’s Treasury, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Department for Education and Skills, Department for Trade and Industry, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Office.

For further information, contact DFID Press Office on 020 7023 0600, e-mail pressoffice@dfid.gov.uk or call our Public Enquiries Point on 0845 300 4100. You can contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5329.