VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #0270 1351013
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141013Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6790
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1331

UNCLAS OSLO 000270 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
EUR/NB (MMCDOWELL) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL SOCI NO
SUBJECT: NORWAY AND HEALTH CARE WORKER MIGRATION 
 
REF: STATE 49980 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  The GON has not yet passed any domestic 
legislation on health care migration (Note: Domestic 
legislation concerning such migration has, to our knowledge, 
also not been rejected by the Norwegian parliament, the 
Storting).  Along with potential domestic legislation, Norway 
has also pledged to assist in the development of 
international standards, known as the Code of Practice (COP). 
 The issue of health care worker migration received 
widespread attention last year, with the public widely 
criticizing a measure seen as promoting a brain drain from 
developing countries.  The reaction to that proposal has 
prompted recent GON reports, and pending legislation, 
concerned with addressing such development assistance. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Care worker migration became a politically charged 
issue in 2007, after International Development Minister Eric 
Solheim's support of a proposed health care worker program. 
The issue gained widespread public attention following a 
visit to Malawi by Christian Democrat leader Dagfinn 
Hoybraaten, who was opposed to the initiative with fears that 
it would precipitate a brain drain in the developing country: 
foreign workers, trained in the medical services industry, 
would spend time practicing in Norway, where such workers are 
in sore demand. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Public outcry followed.  The ensuing ethical 
debate, which largely attacked the program, questioned why 
the GON would use public development funds to train the 
workers if the gained skills and competence would not revert 
to the communities needing them.  One daily likened the 
program to a child stealing apples from a neighbor. NGOs, 
including Change Maker, remain involved in this issue, 
alleging that the initiative would remove opportunities from 
developing countries--the same nations supposedly targeted 
for improvement by the program.  An immigration debate also 
grew, insofar that the GON was accused of cherry-picking 
workers from select countries--thus assisting some, and not 
others. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The Ministry of Health was tasked with developing 
a report to address the controversy, which was released in 
August 2007.  The Report proposed actions in three areas to 
reduce factors "pushing" health care workers out of their 
home countries and pulling them to "certain developed 
countries."  The report advocates that a better balance be 
found in Norway between the need for health workers and 
supply of health workers. Secondly, a larger portion of 
domestic assistance to developing countries should be 
targeted at measures increasing the receiving countries 
capacity to train health workers, but also conditions for 
those already employed in the sector.  Finally, the report 
concludes that it is not a realistic expectation, or goal, to 
expect a "full stop" to the migration of health workers from 
developing countries. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The Ministry of Labor and Social Inclusion 
recently released a White Paper, which announced a need to 
develop national and international standards to "limit the 
brain drain" from developing countries.  In a recent press 
release, the Ministry calls for cooperation with the E.U. 
within the areas of migration and development, and 
contribution of international standards to prevent the active 
recruitment of workers with higher education and 
skills--which the developing nations are in need of.  The GON 
will also develop national guidelines, and subsequently 
advocate for international standards. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The Storting has not yet passed any legislation on 
this matter, but the recent Labor Ministry report indicates 
that it must first develop a domestic program before 
embracing an international regime.  The proposal has been in 
the Storting since May 7th, with a goal as to moving any 
potential legislation forward by June 10th. 
WHITNEY