Assignment Brief

Advise the government of Tanzania and other developing countries on the policy to attract
health workers to clinical settings within their home countries, taking into account the
interests of the important stakeholder groups. (30)

Introduction: Migration of health workers searching for greener pastures is an acute problem
experienced by developing countries (Sirili and Simba, 2021; Mdegela et al., 2022). This
aspect of brain drain is common in developing countries namely Tanzania, Egypt, Zimbabwe,
Botswana, Mozambique among others. As a result, shortage of health workers is a critical
contemporary problem in developing nations like Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Therefore,
developing strategies and policies to attract health workers from other countries and to limit
movement of health workers to developed nations is essential in these countries (Sirili et al.,
2022; Makuku and Mosadeghrad, 2022). Various strategies should be considered when
formulating policies to attract medical staff to clinical settings within their home countries.
These include improving working conditions in clinical settings, implementing competitive
salaries and benefits, providing professional development opportunities, developing
partnerships with various organisations , establishing telemedicine services, investing in
healthcare infrastructure and having a clear legal framework related to movement of
healthcare professionals. The formulation of effective policies to attract health workers
requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account various factors.

In order to attract health workers to clinical settings within their home countries, improved
working conditions are significant in developing countries (Muthuri et al., 2020; Mukuku and
Mosadeghrad, 2022). This implies that the attraction of health workers requires the
government of Tanzania to focus on improving the working conditions in their clinical
settings. This includes providing adequate infrastructure, equipment, and resources, as well as
ensuring a clean and safe working environment. Improving working conditions also include
ensuring availability of adequate staff at all levels with the health sector (Shilinge, 2022;
Kamarulzaman et al., 2022). This entails that countries like Kenya, Uganda and Burundi
should provide a supportive work environment to their health workers (Muthuri et al., 2020).
Additionally, improved working standards must involve provision of free accommodation
and transportation to workers in the medical sector. Governments of Tanzania and other
developing countries like Mozambique, South Africa and Malawi should assist health
workers who want to relocate within the country. Improved living standards coupled by
working conditions for health workers limit their migration to developed countries while the
situation is also appealing to an extent of attracting health workers from developed countries
(Wintrup, 2022).

Banda-Chitsamatanga and Malinga (2021) and Noormahomed et al., (2022) noted that
offering competitive salaries and benefits to health workers plays a pivotal role to attract
health workers. Therefore, the government of Tanzania and other developing countries like
Malawi and Democratic Republic of Congo should offer reasonable salaries and benefits
packages. This means they must provide high salaries, bonuses among other incentives to
entice health professionals to work in their home countries. In order to improve the lives of
health workers, governments in developing countries should offer loans to health workers
(Mudzonga, 2020; Wintrup, 2022). Provision of loans to health workers enhance quality of
their lives, thus reducing brain drain in the health sector while attracting others from within
and outside the country to join their health sector. Governments in developing countries
including Tanzania should implement loan forgiveness programs directed to health workers.
This assists in reducing financial burden among health workers hence paving a route to attract
more health workers to join Tanzania workforce in the health sector. Loan forgiveness
programs can be appealing to professionals who have studied in developed countries and are
burdened with high levels of debt (Efendi et al., 2021; Sirili and Simba, 2021).

Moreover, in order to attract health workers, governments in developing countries such as

Tanzania and Ethiopia should provide professional development opportunities to health
workers (Mabuda et al., 2021; Oladeji et al., 2022). Similarly, countries like Namibia and
Angola should offer free opportunities for health workers to continue with their academics.
Health workers should be given chances to improve their knowledge through aspects like
education courses, workshops and conferences (Hashish and Ashour, 2020; Titus et al.,
2022). This helps professionals maintain and advance their skills, making them more likely to
stay in their home country while attracting foreigners. Health professional development
programs in Tanzania must encompass offering scholarships and training programs to health
workers. By establishing scholarships and training programs for health workers, developing
countries can not only attract professionals to their home countries but also create a pool of
skilled workers for the future. This is supported by Efendi et al., (2021) that governments can
implement policies that support ongoing professional development and opportunities for
specialisation within the healthcare sector to curb brain drain.
Government of Tanzania and governments of other nations like Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda
must develop partnerships with various organisations. Collaboration with other national and
international organisations strengthen health sectors in developing countries (Nkomazana,
2022; Adebis et al., 2022). Developing countries benefit from collaborating with international
organisations that specialise in healthcare workforce development. A view supported by
Rubagumya et al., (2020) and Motiwala and Ezezika (2022) that partnerships provide
technical assistance, funding support, knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiatives
that strengthen the local healthcare workforce. As a result, internal people and foreigners will
be eager to join the health sector due to the popularity of the health sector in the country.
Additionally, if the government is supported by other organisations, it provides quality health
services (Mohamoud, 2020; Kamel, 2020). Enhancing the quality of healthcare services
attract health workers by creating an environment where professionals feel confident in the
care they are providing. Collaborating with international organisations such as the World
Health Organization, World Bank and the United Nations Development Program help
developing countries to attract health workers by providing funding, technical assistance and
expertise. Developing countries such as Tanzania and Ethiopia can form partnerships with
healthcare providers and institutions from developed countries to attract health workers.
These partnerships include joint ventures, training programs and research collaborations
(Mdegela et al., 2022; Makuku and Mosadeghrad, 2022).

Furthermore, telemedicine services are among the topical issues in the 21st century (Afik and
Pandin, 2021; Barbosa et al., 2021). In order to attract health workers to clinical settings
within Tanzania and other countries like Mali and Sudan, establishment of telemedicine
services is essential. Telemedicine services attract health workers by providing opportunities
for professionals to work remotely, offering flexible work arrangements and allowing them to
maintain a better work-life balance (Jin et al., 2020). Consequently, telemedicine has the
potential to attract citizens to join the medical sector while attracting skilled health
professionals from foreign nations. Most importantly, telemedicine approaches pave the way
to offer quality services to patients as well as workers (Kichloo et al., 2020; Afik and Pandin,
2021). Therefore, it promotes a positive image of a country as compared to other nations
across the globe. A positive image of the country attracts health workers by showcasing the
opportunities and benefits of working in the country. This clearly signifies that if
telemedicine is clearly implemented in Tanzania and other less developed nations like
Burkina Faso out-migration of health workers is reduced while inflow of health professionals
from other countries increases.

Lastly, investing in healthcare infrastructure and formulation of clear legal framework

directed to healthcare attract medical professionals from other countries (Roets et al., 2020;
Banda-Chitsamatanga and Malinga, 2021). Hence, Tanzania like other developing countries
encompassing Somalia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe must invest in current healthcare
infrastructure to attract healthcare workers within and outside Tanzania. A view upheld by
Mohamoud (2020) that a well-equipped healthcare infrastructure is essential for providing
quality care and attracting health workers. Tanzania must formulate policies aimed at
investing in the development of healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics and medical
laboratories as well as ensuring access to modern equipment. Similarly, a supportive
regulatory framework is important for creating an enabling environment for health workers
(Mabunda et al., 2021; Motiwala and Ezezika, 2022). This includes establishing clear
guidelines for professional practice, ensuring adherence to ethical standards and providing
legal protections for health workers in Tanzania and other developing nations like Burundi
and Morocco. Governments in developing countries like Tanzania should implement policies
which lessen burden among health workers when they cross borders into their country.
Governments must speed up administrative processes related to licensing, certification and
registration of health professionals from other countries (Mudzonga, 2022; Noormahomed et
al., 2022). This increases the eagerness of foreigners to join the health sector in Tanzania
while limiting movement of health workers out of Tanzania.

In conclusion, in Tanzania formulating policies to attract health workers to clinical settings

within their home countries requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses various aspects
of the healthcare system. This scenario is also visible in other developing nations like
Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana. However, by focusing on
improving working conditions, offering competitive remuneration, providing career
development opportunities, investing in healthcare infrastructure, establishing a supportive
regulatory framework and adopting telemedicine. The government of Tanzania and other
developing countries have potential to create an environment that attracts health workers
from other countries and retains health workers within their borders.
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