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Home is home—Botswana’s return migrant health workers

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  • Keneilwe Motlhatlhedi
  • Oathokwa Nkomazana

Abstract

The shortage of skilled healthcare workers in Sub-Saharan Africa is aggravated by their emigration to high resource countries. There is evidence that a small number of healthcare workers return to their home countries. It is important to understand the factors that influence decisions to return in order to develop appropriate strategies to attract more back. This study sought to investigate the perspectives of healthcare workers who returned to Botswana after working in the diaspora. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 8 healthcare workers. Using the thematic analysis method we developed a thematic index to code the data. The main reasons for returning were family ties and missing home whilst the key reasons for emigration were concerns about the quality of health care, lack of professional progression opportunities and feeling under-valued. Difficulties reintegrating into the Botswana health care system are a potential push factors for those who return. Policies that aim to attract back healthcare workers should address professional progression, reintegration and improvement of the healthcare system.

Suggested Citation

  • Keneilwe Motlhatlhedi & Oathokwa Nkomazana, 2018. "Home is home—Botswana’s return migrant health workers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0206969
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206969
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    1. Silvia Wojczewski & Stephen Pentz & Claire Blacklock & Kathryn Hoffmann & Wim Peersman & Oathokwa Nkomazana & Ruth Kutalek, 2015. "African Female Physicians and Nurses in the Global Care Chain: Qualitative Explorations from Five Destination Countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Dustmann, Christian & Fadlon, Itzhak & Weiss, Yoram, 2011. "Return migration, human capital accumulation and the brain drain," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 58-67, May.
    3. WHO & UNICEF & UNFPA & World Bank & United Nations Population Division, 2014. "Trends in Maternal Mortality : 1990 to 2013," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 18203.
    4. Blacklock, C. & Ward, A.M. & Heneghan, C. & Thompson, M., 2014. "Exploring the migration decisions of health workers and trainees from Africa: A meta-ethnographic synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 99-106.
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    1. Thi Huyen Le & Yoshinori Nakagawa & Yutaka Kobayashi, 2021. "Conditions under Which Rural-to-Urban Migration Enhances Social and Economic Sustainability of Home Communities: A Case Study in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, July.

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