What the developing world gives to the west

THE AUSTRALIAN health system is benefitting from money ploughed into training doctors in African nations who then practise abroad, a study suggests.

Researchers modelled the cost of a doctor’s education in nine sub-Saharan countries, and the impact of those known to have left to work in Western countries including Australia.

They estimated figures for the UK – benefitting to the tune of $US2.7 billion ($2.73 billion) – and for the US, benefitting by $US846 million ($855.7 million).

“Among the nine… countries most affected by HIV/AIDS, more than $US2 billion ($2.02 billion) of investment was lost through the emigration of trained doctors,” the authors said.

“South Africa and Zimbabwe had the greatest economic losses from such emigration.”

BMJ 2011; online 24 Nov