Strategies to discourage brain drain

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2004-08, Vol.82 (8), p.616-623
• Main Authors: Kupfer, Linda, Hofman, Karen, Jarawan, Raya, McDermott, Jeanne, Bridbord, Ken
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Apoyo a la formación profesional; Brain drain; Conferences, meetings and seminars; Developing countries; Emigration and immigration; Exodo intellectual; Health Policy & Services; Immigration and emigration; Infecciones por VIH; Investigación biomédica; Investigadores; Labor aspects; Medical education; Medical personnel; Medical research; Medical sector; Migración internacional; Países desarrollados; Países en desarrollo; Prevention; Preventive strategies; Prioridades en salud; Research workers; Scientists; Training; United States; USA
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.1590/S0042-96862004000800012

Building health research expertise q developing countries often requires personnel to receive training beyond national borders. For research funding agencies that sponsor this type of training, a major goal is to ensure that trainees return to their country of origin: attaining this objective requires the use of oroactive strategies. The strategies described were developed under the extramural acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) International Training and Research Program (AITRP) funded by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) at the National Institutes of Health. United States. This programme supports universities in the United States that provide research training to scientists from developing countries to enable them to address the global epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS and the related tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. This paper describes the strategies employed to discourage brain drain by the principle investigators (PIs) of five of the longest-funded AITRPs (funded for 15 years). Long-term trainees in these programmes spent from 11 to 96 months (an average of 26 months) studying. Using scientific, political and economic strategies that address brain drain issues, PIs working in AITRPs have attained an average rate of return home for their trainees of 80%