# Migration of African healthcare professionals: the need for equitable healthcare worker migration

**Authors:** Estifanos Haimanot, Mishra Kartik, Hanif Miah

PMC · DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2025.51.24.47894 · The Pan African Medical Journal · 2025-05-28

## TL;DR

African healthcare professionals are leaving due to poor working conditions, and better support is needed to create a fairer healthcare system.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the need for global policies and partnerships to address healthcare worker migration in Africa.

## Key findings

- Push factors like poor infrastructure and economic instability drive African healthcare workers to migrate.
- Pull factors such as better work conditions and financial incentives attract them to settle abroad.
- Improved investment and global cooperation are essential to retain healthcare professionals in Africa.

## Abstract

Healthcare professional migration has been a major issue in the African healthcare system. This is due to push factors such as economic instability, inadequate work conditions, insufficient support, and a lack of infrastructure, which have all contributed to the increased migration rates in sub-Saharan countries. On the contrary, pull factors like optimal work conditions, better work-life balance, and financial benefits have attracted African healthcare workers to settle abroad, where this issue has been exacerbated during the post-pandemic COVID-19 era. It is crucial for governments, healthcare organizations, and stakeholders to invest in proper resources, training, and autonomy to better support the working conditions and rights of African healthcare workers. Governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), healthcare organizations and stakeholders must utilize a global agenda and implement policies, partnerships, and technological solutions for a more equitable, accessible, and dependable healthcare system.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** COVID-19 (MONDO:0100096)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** COVID-19 (MESH:D000086382)

## Full text

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## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12318875/full.md

## References

10 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12318875/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12318875