by Lee Ann Doskocil

Created on: April 22, 2008

Brain-drain refers to the process of people leaving their native countries to seek better jobs, working environments, or for other reasons. This differs from immigration in general in that, in the case of brain-drain, most of the immigrants are well educated. This is an especially serious problem in Africa as it is helping to keep the poverty level high as the educated Africans leave to seek opportunities in more wealthy countries.

There are various causes of brain-drain in Africa. One of the most prevalent reasons is what is perceived as a lack of opportunity in Africa. In the medical field, a lack of funding in the public health sector causes health workers to seek employment outside that continent's borders. The lack of funding coupled with the fact that there is a lack of a strong emphasis on reducing infection further increases the number of health workers who choose to migrate elsewhere. Wealthier nations welcome these health care workers and pay much better and provide much better working environments.

Many African universities complain that the brain-drain is escalated by private industry recruiting professors from that country. According to Obong Quintas, a lecturer at Makerere University in Uganda, his total pay was just over $250 per month. (1) It goes without saying that this type of salary makes it exceedingly easy to take a job elsewhere, particularly if one has gone to the trouble of obtaining a Master's degree or a PhD.

In some cases, aid from humanitarian sources and other countries actually contributes to the problem. Instead of being used to pay African citizens better wages, it is seized by corrupt governments and used for other purposes. This type of activity is seen by those who have been educated and they long for a better system of government and frequently they leave to seek that relief. This leaves the poor and uneducated at the mercy of these repressive governments, and makes it highly unlikely that anything will change in the near future.

Unfortunately, the result of the brain-drain, which is caused in part by poverty, is more poverty and the circle continues. Unless the African government begins to actively work to keep its educated citizens there, this problem will continue to grow and the end result will be more disease, poverty, and strife.

Source:
(1) "Academics streaming out of Africa", BBC News, http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps
Accessed 04-22-2008.

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