Aspen Global Health and Development

Health Worker Migration Policy Council Innovation Award

The Health Worker Migration Policy Council Innovation Award

The Innovation Award celebrates progress made by countries working to address the challenges of health worker migration. This highly competitive, non-monetary award honors innovative and scalable approaches in support of the WHO Global Code’s Guiding Principles and in accelerating progress toward solutions to health worker migration by addressing the seven WHO Global Code implementation recommendations. 

WHO Global Code of Practice: User’s Guide Implementation Recommendations:

1. Ethical international recruitment: Recruitment of health personnel from developing countries facing shortages of health personnel reduces access to health care in those countries, and exacerbates inequities between rich and poor and between urban and rural populations. The Code therefore sets forth recommendations on the international ethical recruitment of health personnel. In particular, it suggests that active international recruitment of health personnel from developing countries facing critical shortages of health personnel should be discouraged (Article 5.15) and that the outstanding legal responsibility of health personnel to the health system of their own country should be considered when recruiting (Article 4.2).

2. Health workforce development and health systems sustainability: The Code also aims to address some underlying causes of migration with recommendations related to health workforce development and health systems sustainability. In particular, the Code states that an appropriate health workforce should be educated, retained and sustained for the specific conditions of each country, including areas of greatest needs, and that all Member States should strive to meet their health personnel requirements with their own human resources for health (Article 5.4). Expanding education and training, improving retention and reducing geographic maldistribution are therefore encouraged as key intervention areas for a sustainable health system. Overall, the Code values health personnel and recognizes their centrality to sustainable health systems.

3. Fair treatment of migrant health personnel: The Code takes a holistic view of health workforce recruitment. It therefore not only considers the consequences of health workforce migration in source countries, but also the rights and treatment of migrant health workers themselves. The Code provides recommendations for the recruitment process, stating that health personnel should have the opportunity to assess the benefits and risks associated with employment positions and to make timely and informed decisions (Article 4.3). It also promotes the principle of equal treatment of migrant and domestic health personnel. This is particularly important in relation to hiring, promotion and remuneration conditions (Article 4.4), ensuring the enjoyment of legal rights and responsibilities (Article 4.5) and providing opportunities and incentives to strengthen professional education, qualifications and career progression (Article 4.6).

4. International cooperation: The Code aims both to mitigate the negative effects of health personnel migration and to maximize the positive effects on the health systems of source countries (Article 3.2). To that end, destination countries are encouraged to collaborate with source countries so that both can derive benefits from the international migration of health personnel (Article 5.1). This can be referred to as the principle of mutuality of benefits. For example, the Code proposes organizing international recruitment of health personnel through bilateral or multilateral arrangements. Such arrangements could include measures that allow source countries to also benefit from international recruitment, for example through support for training, access to specialized training, technology and skills transfers and the support of return migration, whether temporary or permanent (Article 5.2). In the same vein, the Code encourages circular migration of health personnel, so that skills and knowledge can be achieved to the benefit of both source and destination countries (Article 3.8).

5. Support to developing countries: Member States, international organizations, international donor agencies, financial and development institutions and other relevant organizations are encouraged to provide technical assistance and financial support to developing countries that are experiencing critical health workforce shortages, to assist with the implementation of the Code (Articles 10.2 and 10.3).

6. Data gathering: Effective policies to address the drivers, trends and impacts of health workforce migration need to be grounded in a sound evidence base. Although information on health workforce migration is becoming more available, knowledge about international migration flows is far from complete. The Code stresses the need for effective national and international data and research. It highlights the need to share information on international recruitment of health personnel if its objectives are to be achieved (Article 3.7). Member States are therefore encouraged to establish or strengthen health personnel information systems, including health personnel migration (Article 6.2), as well as research programs in the field of health personnel migration (Article 6.3), and to translate those data into effective health workforce policies and planning.

7. Information exchange: Mechanisms for the exchange of information related to health personnel migration are an important component of the Code. Member States are encouraged to promote information exchange nationally and internationally and to share information with WHO. Under Article 7.2(c), Member States are encouraged to collect and provide both qualitative and quantitative information on health personnel. WHO, in consultation with Member States, will develop guidelines for minimum data sets to support the monitoring of international health personnel migration. Member States are also encouraged to establish and maintain an up-to-date and accessible database of laws and regulations related to health personnel international recruitment and migration. They should also, where appropriate, share their experiences in implementing the Code, including measures taken, results achieved, difficulties encountered and lessons learnt. For purposes of international communication, each Member State should designate a national authority responsible for the exchange of information regarding health personnel migration and the implementation of the Code.

Successful applicants will demonstrate effective actions in at least 2 of the recommendation areas and adherence to the WHO Global Code Guiding Principles

To learn more on the award and to apply, read on:

The Problem
Seeking Innovations
What We Are Looking For
2012 Innovation Award Winners