On 17 May 2012, the ILO, with the leadership of Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), organized a participatory workshop whose goal was to contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of the 2010 WHO Global Code of Practice on International Recruitment of Health Personnel. The event brought together more than 50 representatives from various government agencies, workers and employers organizations, recruitment agencies and health professional organizations.

This WHO Code is landmark policy document addressing the fact that while migration of health personnel can be mutually beneficial, many countries still experience health workforce shortages, the migration of which weakens national health systems and affect the achievement of the health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The WHO Code promotes voluntary principles and practices for the ethical international recruitment of health personnel and the strengthening of health systems.

This year marks the start of the WHO Code’s monitoring efforts. With the active contribution of its constituents, the ILO EU funded Promoting Decent Work Across Borders: A Project for Migrant Health Professionals and Skilled Workers is facilitating a broad consultation process which started in April 2012 with preliminary orientation sessions designed to raise the awareness of stakeholders of the ILO-EU DWAB, the importance of ethical recruitment, the WHO global Code and its participatory monitoring process.

The aim of participatory workshop that took place on 17 May was to allow stakeholder to provide feedback on the Philippine Country Report on the implementation on the WHO Code. The same stakeholders will be attending another workshop on May 30, 2012 to receive the draft of the national report, which will then be submitted to the World Health Assembly at the end of the month.

Until 2014, the ILO, with the financial support of the European Union is implementing a project called Promoting Decent Work Across Borders: A Project for Migrant Health Professionals and Skilled Workers. The project was conceived with the view to better address migration schemes involving health professionals and pilot employment services intended to this particular categories of migrants.

The movement of health professionals has increased significantly in the past decades. The migration of health care workers between developing and developed countries has drawn a lot of attention mainly due to the economic and social effects it has been raising. While migrant health care workers from developing countries are contributing to the health care sector of developed countries, the migration of professionals and skilled workers from developing countries is perceived to negatively affect the development potentials of the countries of origin.

For further information please contact:

Ms Catherine Vaillancourt-Laflamme
Chief Technical Adviser
ILO-Decent Work Across Borders Project
CO-Manila
19th Floor Yuchengco Tower
RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +632 580 9900 or 580 9917
Email

Ms Jennifer Dela Rosa
National Project Coordinator
ILO-Decent Work Across Borders Project
CO-Manila
19th Floor Yuchengco Tower
RCBC Plaza 6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +632 580 9900 or 580 9906
Email