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NEWS: Sally Hargreaves NHS should strengthen links with poor countries, report urges BMJ 2007; 334: 329 [Full text]

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Strengthening links with poorer countries

Elizabeth Marsh   (21 February 2007)

Redressing the balance

David G Place, O'Hare BA   (7 March 2007)

Strengthening links with poorer countries 21 February 2007
Elizabeth Marsh, Writer DT4 9QU Send response to journal: Re: Strengthening links with poorer countries	A positive step would be for the NHS to stop nicking the poorer countries' health workers in the first place. Then there wouldn't be a need to train those who are left. Competing interests: None declared
Redressing the balance 7 March 2007
David G Place, Consultant anaesthetist University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff CF14 4XW, O'Hare BA Send response to journal: Re: Redressing the balance	One of Lord Crisp’s recommendations is that a global health exchange is set up to allow the matching of requests from the health sector in resource poor countries with offers from medical personnel in countries such as the UK (1). Until such an exchange is set up, surely the BMJ is the ideal medium to match requests and offers. The paucity of job advertisements for Africa in the international section of the BMJ careers (25 of 1349 in 2006) is surprising considering the shortage of healthcare workers. We applaud the BMJ for granting free access to educational resources for physicians in poorly resourced countries. Perhaps this could be extended to job advertisements. The cost of an advertisement approaches £300, which may limit many organisations in sub Saharan Africa, considering the average gross national income per capita there is £400. The NHS has been criticized for poaching staff from poor countries; a free advertising service may redress the balance. Reference List (1) Nigel Crisp. Global Health Partnerships; The UK contribution to health in developing countries. Department of Health 2007Available from: URL: http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/14/29/92/04142992.pdf Competing interests: None declared