US Plan to Lure Nurses May Hurt Poor Nations

The US is the wealthiest and healthiest country in the world, but has no qualms about enticing nurses from poor countries. The US Senate, in approving its version of immigration reform, has included a clause that would remove any limits on the number of nurses allowed into the country through 2014. The sponsor of the legislation suggests that the bill would attract more nurses from India and the Philippines, fewer from Africa. African nations are not so sure. With a global shortage of nurses, many governments pay for training, and some outraged African nations may demand compensation – or end training altogether. In the US, starting nurses earn $36,000 per year, while similar nurses in the Philippines earn only about $2000. Some Filipino doctors abandon their careers to pursue nurse’s training for a chance at citizenship and more lucrative jobs in the US. With poaching, the US might find only temporary respite: The strategy could drastically reduce quality of care in the world’s poorest nations, encouraging the spread of AIDS and other diseases around the globe. – YaleGlobal