Denmark: The ethics of immigration

31 Indian specialist doctors, mainly anesthetists, radiologist and pathologists, are coming today to Denmark to work in hospitals in Central Jutland (Region Midtjylland) where there is a serious need for specialists.

Though the Indian doctors are happy for the work opportunity, they are being met with criticism, that Denmark is bringing in doctors from India, which itself is in need of doctors.

Ove Hartling, chairman of the Ethics Council, thinks that Denmark belongs to the countries who on the one hand help developing countries, while on the other they take away important resources just because there is a need for it. He says it's as if our ideals about helping developing countries evaporate when we ourselves have a need.

Region Midtjylland, however, does not agree that they are draining India of highly-educated Indians. Hans Svanholm, a doctor in Randers, thinks they are helping India. He says there's no issue of a "brain drain" but rather of "brain circulation". The doctors get experience with the Danish methods of health care and India will benefit from it.

The 31 doctors were chosen out of 750 who answered an ad that Region Midtjylland put in Indian newspapers.

Source: DR (Danish)

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