Thread: Emigration is leading to critical Kenya nursing shortage

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/828498/-/vo77t3/-/

DAILY NATION
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Kenya losing 800 nurses yearly



Kenya’s first test tube baby with the Dr Joshua Noreh and the nurses who helped deliver her on May 8, 2006. Fresh statistics indicate that more than 800 Kenyan nurses leave the country every year to seek employment abroad especially in the United States of America. Photo /ARTHUR OKWEMBA

By KENNETH OGOSIA

Posted Monday, December 21 2009 at 20:00
In Summary

[b]•Most of them go to the US, leaving a huge shortage in the local hospitals

More than 800 nurses leave the country every year to seek employment abroad especially in the United States of America.

Most of them are women aged between 30 to 46 years working in the public health sector and are highly qualified, statistics at the Nursing Council of Kenya show.

Statistics from the Nursing council of Kenya indicate that on average 840 nurses apply for verification of their certificates with an intention to migrate.

“Countries of destination are the USA accounting for 59 per cent of applications and the UK with 27 percent,â€

Man that has got to be tough for them. The economic issues, and unemployment issues make it tough. But if they don't have resources to get the staff they need, then people will try to go elsewhere. I worry that may happen here. Americans picking up and moving to places like China and India just to try to earn a living. We've been ripped apart here by domestic policy and treaties with other nations, and the like s of NAFTA and other insidious documents that will only weaken and help destroy America.

Thanks now could you join me in discussing Kenyan public health educator Zeituni Onyango. She is Obama's illegal alien aunt living in public housing in Boston. If she gets amnesty hundreds more a year will be leaving Kenya's own understaffed hospitals to come here to work with our without our immigration approval.

Ok, how do make desparaging remarks without getting called names?

I wonder if a Nurse Practitioner vocational role would be practical in these countries and produce some incentive for them to stay. A lot of struggling countries are experiencing "brain drains" and the vested interests of migrant rights strategy probably doesn't help.

I can understand the frustration of these talented people---when they must confront the backwardness of the people they have to work with after receiving Western medical training. Yet it is going to leave those countries in desperate poverty if their most talented people leave. I know some people who founded a university in Kenya ---Daystar University in Nairobi http://www.daystar.ac.ke/---so I know they are imparting a high level of education. It's not surprising that highly educated people would seek better opportunities----but their own countries need them.

LOL good hylander

Originally Posted by Richard

Thanks now could you join me in making disparging remarks about Kenyan public health educator Zeituni Onyango. She is Obama's illegal alien aunt living in public housing in Boston. If she gets amnesty hundreds more a year will be leaving Kenya's understaffed hospitals to come here with our without our immigration approval.

I don't want to sound desparaging at all, but amnesty is just flat out wrong. The way Dr. Keyes put it, if you are in another country illegally, they uncerimoniously grab you and out you go! No protesting from the masses on your behalf or court proceedure. You are just tossed out on your ear.

So what's the difference here? Or better why should there be any difference here?