Senator Joseph: Attracting and Retaining Health Workers Requires Balance
Minister urges national commitment as nurses migrate for better pay and opportunities
Senator the Honourable Michael Joseph has acknowledged the mounting challenge of retaining healthcare professionals in Antigua and Barbuda, as many nurses and doctors continue to leave for higher-paying jobs abroad. The Junior Minister for Health says the issue is not unique to Antigua, but finding a sustainable solution requires a delicate balance between patriotism and practicality.
Speaking in a recent ABS interview, Joseph said the migration of trained health workers is widespread across the Commonwealth. “This isn’t a unique challenge to us; it’s an issue throughout the entire Commonwealth, particularly with those countries that are developing,” he noted. “You have this movement of healthcare workers from countries like ours to the US, Australia—because of just the greater exposure for opportunities.”
While recognising the financial appeal of international placements, Joseph stressed the need for a deeper conversation around national development. “At some point in time we have to sit down with our people and ask them, you know, yes, we understand that it’s about personal growth, but what about national growth as well? What about our country? What about our development?”
He also emphasised the government’s responsibility in ensuring those who choose to stay feel valued and supported. “On the flip side, we also have to look at responsibility as government,” he said. “When people choose to develop their country, how do we show appreciation and not overburden them, not let them feel like, you know, they’re not wanted or the space isn’t there for them to grow?”
Joseph explained that a major part of the government’s health strategy is focused on expanding primary healthcare facilities, which would help ease the pressure on hospital staff. “We do believe once we’ve built out the infrastructure part for primary healthcare, then that is going to be that pinnacle that we need for growth—that tipping point to change in the system,” he said.
With better distribution of workload and stronger frontline services, Joseph believes the system can begin to function more efficiently. The remarks come amid ongoing concern about staff shortages and burnout within the health sector, especially following the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Joseph acknowledged there is no single solution, he called for continued efforts to improve conditions, promote local opportunity, and foster a shared sense of national duty.
“It’s really a balancing act. It’s not an easy thing,” he said. “There’s no one-size-fits-all, there’s not a solution that’s written in a book somewhere that we’re going to figure out. It’s really trial and error in figuring out that necessary mechanism that works for us based on experience.”
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These guys have no clue; the rethoric is coming from another place other than their mouths
Has this guy asked his leader the same question when they fill their pockets and give their supporters cussy jobs?
Where is your patriotic pride? what about our nation
@ What’s New?
They not only migrate for better pay and opportunities, but to get away from his abuse of them (woman abuser)
Senator Michael Joseph, if the country is experiencing a shortage of medical practitioners why cant our young doctors who have graduated from med school and are presently unemployed are not welcomed into our health care system, as a medical administrators, technicians or junior doctors under supervision?
Why would a Nurse stay in Antigua and make peanuts.When she could come North and make a Healthy Living. There are Hospitals that also give you a housing allowance, monthly.
Guy come on. You cant compare the Salary of a Hospital of a Rich Country vs the country under Development. That’s is a reality we cant fight. Isn’t a myth, no small country can afford pay the same salary than a Hospital in Toronto, or London, or California. Regardless how much you wanna do, the budget of the country cant match every single government employee vs employers of rich countries. Because their budget is ridiculous high comparing to US. Immigration is normal, you don’t see French Nurses and doctors also migrating to Canada? and USA? and Switzerland? Even in France their salary is more than 3 times of what their get over here, and still they move for higher one. Nothing is free, money need to come from somewhere to afford the government budget. If nobody steal and/or mismanage the government tax collected, then money is enough, but still under that conditions, the size of the government payroll in Antigua is ridiculous huge and that is a total nonsense tat nobody want to touch.