Mobilizing the Arab Medical Diaspora: The Arab Board of Health Specializations Initiative

Mobilizing the Arab medical diaspora to support health systems in Arab countries is at the top of the agenda of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health within the Arab League. Many countries in the region identify health workforce shortages and capacity gaps as major challenges to health systems and improving the health of populations.[1] Recently, the Arab League organized the First Arab Conference on the Role of the Arab Medical Diaspora in Supporting Health Systems in Arab Countries in Amman, Jordan. The conference resulted in the “Amman Declaration,” which reflects the commitment of Arab ministers of health to support a strategy to mobilize the diaspora, promote cross-country and regional coordination, and encourage national policies for migration management and diaspora engagement. The declaration called on institutions, including the Arab Board of Health Specializations, to launch initiatives to unleash the potential of diaspora groups to support education and training, research, and the improvement of health care in the region.[2] The recent meeting of the Council of Arab Ministers of Health in Baghdad, Iraq, endorsed the Amman Declaration and decided that the Conference on Mobilizing the Arab Medical Diaspora will be held every 2 years, with the next version scheduled for 2026 in Cairo, Egypt. This move by the Arab League demonstrates a high-level commitment to find a new way to address the challenges of health worker migration. It also echoes the initiatives and will of the vast, rich, and diversified Arab medical diaspora to support their own countries and the region.[3] What remains is to translate the commitment into action by establishing robust programs for systematic engagement of the Arab medical diaspora at the country and regional levels. The time is ripe, and the context is favorable for a new paradigm in which health worker migration is viewed positively as a “win–win case” for Arab countries, and the diaspora is viewed as a pool of expertise to support the region. The Arab Board of Health Specializations is well-positioned to respond to the Arab League’s call for action. The leadership agreed to establish a Diaspora Engagement Program to support specialty training and health workforce development in the region. The initiative is being taken forward by the Secretariat, and a document is being developed to lay the groundwork for the program and identify strategies for diaspora engagement. The Arab Board program is expected to provide the ideal platform for a sustainable contribution by the Arab medical diaspora to support and strengthen the health workforce in the region. The legacy of the Arab Board, its inclusive governance, and its broad reach across the region are enabling factors in this regard. The recent transformation of the Arab Board with the implementation of a strategy, the strengthening of institutional capacity, and the adoption of technology and innovative approaches are additional enablers. To support these efforts, the Center for Health Workforce Development at RAK Medical and Health Sciences University in the UAE has established a research project on health worker migration with the aim of generating evidence to inform policy and practice in this area.