Only 60 of the 500 doctors trained in Zambia since independence
are still there.4 Mozambique has only
500 doctors for a population of 18 million.5
Any number of incentives have been tried to persuade doctors to
remain in or return to their countries of origin—enhanced salaries,
better pensions, cars, and housing allowances. Ethical recruitment
codes may make us feel that we occupy the moral high ground. But, as
long as the rich countries have plenty of vacancies, the flow of
healthcare professionals from South to North will continue.