ACHEST presents Brain Drain to Brain Gain project implementation progress in New Delhi in India

Dr. Patrick Kadama, Director of Policy and Strategy together with Robert Odedo, the Chief Operating Officer of African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) presented progress on the Brain Drain to Brain Gain project that is been implemented by ACHEST in the Project Coordination meeting in New Delhi in India.

The meeting that ran from 31st May to 1st June 2016 registered a high level attendance by eminent persons who included among others: EC Project Partners: Anu Bakhshi (WHO India), Nilesh Budh (WHO India), Ibadat Dhillon (WHO HQ), JabulileDlamini (AIHLD South Africa), Dr. Patrick Kadama and Robert Odedo (ACHEST) HamsadvaniKuganatham (WHO India), Percy Mahlati (AIHLD South Africa), Prakin Suchaxaya (WHO India), Aisling Walsh (RCSI Ireland) and Pascal Zurn (WHO India).

The objective of the meeting was to assess progress and challenges encountered during the 2nd year of project implementation, as well as facilitate learning across countries. A number of presentations were made by project partners highlighting; progress in the 2nd year of project implementation, open dialogue among partners across countries, challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities; as well as initial discussions around planning for the 3rd year, sustainability, and strategic communication. 
Dr. Patrick Kadama, Director of Policy and Strategy at ACHEST, while presenting on the 2nd year project progress in Uganda noted that Data collection is underway, methods and tools have been adjusted to make them more relevant for the Ugandan context and data is being assembled from annual register update. 
Dr. Kadama said, the project is specifically assisting Councils to transition from manual to web based and real time registers, more consequently, stakeholders have been sensitized on compliance requirements of the WHO Global Code and on the role and rationale for a Nationally Designated Authority (NDA) that had initially a very junior person identified for, but the Project intervention allowed for the designation of a more senior individual.
On Robert Odedo, the Chief Operating Officer’s part, he provided an update on the 2nd year project progress in Nigeria with specific highlights on ongoing data collection on General Practitioners; completion of the 1st year data on the Surgical Workforce and initiation on the 3rd year data collection on Nurses and Midwives.
Odedo also noted that the project has made it possible to have high level stakeholder engagements at both the Federal and State Level including the Federal Minister of Health, Senior Management of the Federal Ministry of Health, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, and Senior Ministry of Health staff Cross River State. 
“Focused effort is now in place to revive the Federal Working Group on HRH and to support the Federal Ministry of Health to convene a first national convention on HRH later in 2016. It is hoped that such a convention will result in the HRH policy development in Nigeria (currently it was reported that there is none).” Odedo said.
Percy Mahlati from South Africa while presenting the project progress in South Africa noted highlights from early results, including a discrepancy between stock of medical offers and placements of medical interns with resignations occurring over a five year period, particularly amongst those under 30. Of the four provinces that have reported thus far, the Western Cape province is the most attractive in terms of medical intern placements and has the largest stock of medical officers. Moreover, in 2015, over half of all resignations from service took place amongst those under 30. In absence of quality data on emigration, there is a strong suggestion that many are migrating internationally.
In summation, project partners’ sighted significant progress made so far in the 2nd year of project implementation as: Data collection and data related-support exercise in all countries that is ongoing; Case studies on General Practitioners expected to be ready in all five countries by the end of August 2016; Specific support been provided by project partners to improve the quality of data at country level. 
Progress was also reported to have been made with respect to advocacy of the WHO Global Code and associate policy environment at country level. Notably, all the five countries have designated national authorities to report on the Code, with four of the five submitting national reports during the 2nd Round of Code reporting.