One month after the World Health Organization listed 55 countries, including Nigeria, as facing the most urgent health workforce challenges related to Universal Health Coverage, the United Kingdom placed Nigeria on the red list of nations that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers.
The UK government’s website, “Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel in England,” provided the information that indicated country identification is done in accordance with the methodology outlined in the 10-year review of the applicability and efficacy of the WHO global code of practise on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.
“In accordance with the principles and articles of the WHO Global Code of Practice and as expressly requested by the WHO Global Code of Practice 10-year review, the development of health personnel and support for health systems should be prioritised for the listed countries, who should also be given protections that prevent active international recruitment of health professionals.”
“Countries on the list should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers, recruitment organizations, agencies, collaborations, or contracting bodies unless there is an agreement in place between the two governments that permits managed recruitment that is carried out strictly in accordance with the terms of that agreement.”
“Countries with red grades in the code are those on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards list. A country is placed on the amber list if a government-to-government agreement is established with a partner nation that limits recruitment organisations to the conditions of the agreement.It stated that a country is green if it is not on the red or amber list.”
The red and amber country list does not, however, prevent individual employees of health and social care organisations who reside in those countries from applying directly to those employers without being targeted by a third party, such as a recruitment organization, agency, or recruitment collaboration.
Kenya and Nepal are the amber-colored nations, where hiring foreign workers is only allowed under the conditions of the G2G agreement. Additionally, it stated that countries with a green rating that have a government-to-government agreement with the UK in place for international health and care workforce recruitment may engage in active recruitment from such nations.
“The code of practise for England does not list green-rated nations without a government-to-government agreement with the UK.”
The government-to-government agreement may establish guidelines for how UK employers, contractual bodies, recruiting organizations, agencies, and collaborations recruit, which would then be carried out by the nation of origin.
These organisations are urged to hire in accordance with the conditions of the G2G agreement.
“As new government-to-government agreements are made with the UK, the green nation list will be updated. Prior to starting any recruitment drive, it is advised that employers, contractual bodies, recruitment organizations, agencies, and collaborations frequently review the list for revisions.”
India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka were listed as “green-graded countries” with “government-to-government agreements for managing international health and care workforce recruitment.”
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