NORWAY AND HEALTH CARE WORKER MIGRATION

UNCLAS OSLO 000270

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

EUR/NB (MMCDOWELL)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL SOCI NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY AND HEALTH CARE WORKER MIGRATION

REF: STATE 49980


1. (SBU) Summary. The GON has not yet passed any domestic
legislation on health care migration (Note: Domestic
legislation concerning such migration has, to our knowledge,
also not been rejected by the Norwegian parliament, the
Storting). Along with potential domestic legislation, Norway
has also pledged to assist in the development of
international standards, known as the Code of Practice (COP).
The issue of health care worker migration received
widespread attention last year, with the public widely
criticizing a measure seen as promoting a brain drain from
developing countries. The reaction to that proposal has
prompted recent GON reports, and pending legislation,
concerned with addressing such development assistance.


2. (SBU) Care worker migration became a politically charged
issue in 2007, after International Development Minister Eric
Solheim's support of a proposed health care worker program.
The issue gained widespread public attention following a
visit to Malawi by Christian Democrat leader Dagfinn
Hoybraaten, who was opposed to the initiative with fears that
it would precipitate a brain drain in the developing country:
foreign workers, trained in the medical services industry,
would spend time practicing in Norway, where such workers are
in sore demand.


3. (SBU) Public outcry followed. The ensuing ethical
debate, which largely attacked the program, questioned why
the GON would use public development funds to train the
workers if the gained skills and competence would not revert
to the communities needing them. One daily likened the
program to a child stealing apples from a neighbor. NGOs,
including Change Maker, remain involved in this issue,
alleging that the initiative would remove opportunities from
developing countries--the same nations supposedly targeted
for improvement by the program. An immigration debate also
grew, insofar that the GON was accused of cherry-picking
workers from select countries--thus assisting some, and not
others.


4. (SBU) The Ministry of Health was tasked with developing
a report to address the controversy, which was released in
August 2007. The Report proposed actions in three areas to
reduce factors "pushing" health care workers out of their
home countries and pulling them to "certain developed
countries." The report advocates that a better balance be
found in Norway between the need for health workers and
supply of health workers. Secondly, a larger portion of
domestic assistance to developing countries should be
targeted at measures increasing the receiving countries
capacity to train health workers, but also conditions for
those already employed in the sector. Finally, the report
concludes that it is not a realistic expectation, or goal, to
expect a "full stop" to the migration of health workers from
developing countries.


5. (SBU) The Ministry of Labor and Social Inclusion
recently released a White Paper, which announced a need to
develop national and international standards to "limit the
brain drain" from developing countries. In a recent press
release, the Ministry calls for cooperation with the E.U.
within the areas of migration and development, and
contribution of international standards to prevent the active
recruitment of workers with higher education and
skills--which the developing nations are in need of. The GON
will also develop national guidelines, and subsequently
advocate for international standards.


6. (SBU) The Storting has not yet passed any legislation on
this matter, but the recent Labor Ministry report indicates
that it must first develop a domestic program before
embracing an international regime. The proposal has been in
the Storting since May 7th, with a goal as to moving any
potential legislation forward by June 10th.
WHITNEY