ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Globally, the majority of visually impaired persons live in low- and middle-income countries. One of the reasons is a lack of ophthalmologists in the respective countries. Migration of qualified personnel would be an additional strain on ophthalmological patient care. OBJECTIVE: This analysis aimed at evaluating the attitude of African residents in ophthalmology towards working in their home country or migrating abroad and comparing these findings with existing data also with respect to possible interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2016 and 2017, participants of ophthalmological training courses for residents in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) as well as residents from Moshi (Tanzania) were interviewed on possible migration with the help of a questionnaire. RESULTS: In total 60 questionnaires were analyzed. The main reasons for staying in the home country were: "want to support/serve community", "family" as well as "high demand of specialists". Prime motives for possible migration were: "better income", "better working structure/equipment" and "better education". CONCLUSION: Links between German and African eye hospitals as they are supported, for example by the working group International Ophthalmology of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) and the German Committee for the Prevention of Blindness (DKVB), can contribute to improve some of the main reasons of migration, such as insufficient education, working structures and equipment and thus help to prevent a brain drain.
