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The panel debate 'Health Emergency: Can't we prevent needless deaths? took place at 'Change the World', the Fabian new year conference 2008 on Saturday 19th January 2008 at Imperial College London. The speakers were Bert Koenders (Dutch Minister for Development Co-operation); Dr Dorothy Ngoma (National Association of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi and Chair of GCAP Malawi); Professor Andrew Green (University of Leeds). Chair: Baroness Valerie Amos (former DfID minister).
Saturday, 19th January
Four hundred out of a thousand trained nurses have left her country, leader of Malawi's nurses tells Fabian conference
The public must be persuaded to make building public health systems the number one priority for health development, though action to address high profile diseases can grab public attention more easily, Dutch development minister Bert Koenders told the Fabian 'change the world' conference.
But western countries must take responsibility for stopping the skills drain of key workers from developing countries undermining efforts to promote health development, leading academics and health professionals told the Fabian 'Change the World' conference session on 'Health emergency', chaired by former British cabinet minister Baroness Valerie Amos.
Four hundred out of a thousand trained nurses in Malawi had left the country, Dr Dorothy Ngoma, chair of the Malawian nurses and midwives association.
'There is a responsibility on countries that suck out human resources from developing countries', said Professor Andrew Green of the University of Leeds, calling for Fabian members to put pressure on the British government to find a new approach to the issue. What are the ways we can support retention of workforces in way that is fair to individuals and countries?' he asked.
'Northern countries can help us to train and incentivise our nurses and doctors to stay and work in their own countries', said Ngoma.
Dutch development minister Bert Koenders argued that international health programmes must make inequality central if they are to succeed.
'This is in essence a political question. Inequality between citizens, and men and women will stop progress', he said, drawing particular attention to reproductive rights.
The panel agreed that developing health systems was the key to an effective health development strategy.
This should mean channelling resources and expertise to the public sector, rather than non-governmental organisations, and explaining this to publics who were more likely to connect to campaigns around particular diseases.
'Public health systems are not sexy but we need to build public support for this in donor countries', said Bert Koenders.
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