Policy Dialogue on Mobility of Health Professionals

The International Labor Organization (ILO) through its Decent Work Across Borders Project just held a Policy Dialogue yesterday at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The Policy Dialogue dubbed “Mobility of Health Professionals between the Philippines and Selected EU Member States” focused on the four researches that were produced as part of the project. These were the following:

•  The effects of the Philippines Bilateral Arrangements with Selected Countries
• Assessment of the Impact of Migration of Health Professionals on the Labour Market and Health Sector Performance in Destination Countries
• Investigating the Working Conditions of Filipino and Indian-born Nurses in the United Kingdom
• Assessment of existing Services for Skilled Migrant Workers: Philippine Project Site

PSLINK and ANG NARS participated in the dialogue. Annie Enriquez-Geron, General Secretary of PSLINK served as one of the reactors during the activity as shown in the picture below.

PSLINK participates in the Multi-sectoral Consultation on the WHO Code of Practice

PSLINK participated in the Participatory Assessment Workshop on the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel held last May 2012.

Facilitated through the ILO-EU Decent Work Across Borders Project, the workshop was a landmark initiative as it brought together various stakeholders (such as key government officials, trade unions, recruiters, employers, professional associations, and NGOs) on health labor migration to discuss the implementation of the WHO Code of Practice in the country. The outputs of the workshop informed the national report that was submitted by the Department of Health as part of our country’ commitment to the WHO/UN.

Some of the issues raised by PSLINK regarding health labor migration during the workshop include the following:

1.       – Lack of adequate and relevant information for migrant health workers

2.       – Very limiting national reporting tool on the implementation of WHO Code of Practice

3.       – Need to ensure that bilateral/multilateral agreements are based on ethical recruitment framework

4.       – Lack of genuine and effective reintegration programs for migrant health workers

5.       – Inadequate budget for public services

6.       – Lack of social protection for migrant health workers

7.      – Need to ensure that workers’ and trade union rights of migrant health workers are respected and upheld

PSLINK representative together with other union participants of the Consultation and the Program Officer of the ILO-EU DWAB

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