Sir, – Four out of 10 doctors working here qualified abroad.
We have three times as many doctors per head as Pakistan and 10 times as many as Sudan, which are the top source countries.
We are in breach of a World Health Organisation code of practice that states: “Member states should discourage recruitment from developing countries facing critical shortages of health workers.”
In addition to the loss of human capital, the recruitment by rich countries of doctors from poor countries results in a huge cost in excess mortality in low-income countries.
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As an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy, the Government allocates €1 billion a year “to address poverty, hunger, and inequality in some of the world’s poorest countries”.
Poaching their doctors is truly overseas aid in reverse. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.
