EDITORIAL: TURNING BRAIN DRAIN OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS INTO BRAIN GAIN: STRATEGIES FOR HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF SKILLED DIASPORA FOR PAKISTAN

Abstract

“Brain drain” is the migration of skilled professionals to improve their quality of life and living standards where better salary packages, advanced learning opportunities and healthier working environment are considered major driving forces. The phenomenon of brain drain of health professionals from developing countries to developed nations for greener future has been matter of serious concern for almost last two decades now. Around 56% of all international immigrant doctors from developing countries are relocating to four high income countries out of which 45% of immigrant doctors are from three countries including Pakistan, India and the Philippines. This immigration leads to severe shortage of medical expertise in their home countries. There is a need to explore the underlying existing factors leading to doctor immigration in Pakistan.