The brain drain crisis

Over 300,000 Sri Lankans made the decision not to wait to find out since 2022 when the nation went into default on its foreign debt and the political regime changed in the face of widespread demonstrations during the Aragalaya. The world over, many have left their native countries to escape soaring inflation, rising taxes, debilitating shortages, and restricted possibilities, from professionals to workers. 

In the midst of global aging populations and drops in the level of worker productivity, developed countries too are trying to attract the best talent in exchange for a life on the greener, other side. Therefore, Sri Lanka and other lesser developed nations with more economic and political stability resorted since the pandemic and related fallouts, this extraordinary brain drain creates a serious problem for his administration.

The people who chose to persevere, whether out of a feeling of duty or for other reasons, may also be a key to the nation’s economic recovery. It’s a battle against time, though, as vital industries like health care and information technology grapple with staffing shortages. 

Sri Lanka’s health system, which is lauded as being among the best in the area, is in trouble. Over 700 doctors left the country in only one year, including 125 consultants who were experts in their professions. In a nation of 22 million people, there are only about 20,000 doctors and 2,800 consultants, so the figures might not appear significant. However, the abrupt migration over such a little time has caused concern.

According to the president of the Government Medical Officers Association, the burden is falling mostly on Government-run institutions, which primarily treat the poor and middle class. Out of 30 doctors who work in the emergency rooms of public hospitals, 23 have left the nation in the past two years. Out of the 29 neurologists, at least five have already quit, and just two of the eight who went abroad for training have come back. The emphasis is that this expertise cannot be readily replaced because it takes at least ten years to generate a specialist and roughly seven years to train a doctor. The remaining physicians are now overworked. Because anaesthesia and critical care are highly trained subspecialties, the lack of experience is more acutely felt.

Similar tales of industry leaders remain but can be found in the IT sector, which has also lost a lot of talent. Some people departed Sri Lanka, got experience, and then went back. Since the crisis began, at least 10,000 IT engineers, according to the Computer Society of Sri Lanka, have relocated. Some left the country in 2000 to seek higher education overseas, but after nine years of working in major corporations such as Intel in the US – some returned back home.

Modern technology is advancing the world, and Sri Lanka cannot fall behind. The nation has achieved important advancements in the information technology industry despite its economic difficulties. The nation produced $ 1.5 billion in foreign exchange in 2021 and hopes to reach $ 3 billion in 2024. The IT sector’s profit potential has overtaken that of the plantation business. According to ICTA Sri Lanka’s IT sector might earn 10 billion in foreign currency by 2030.

Over 20,000 A/L instructors who teach science, math, and English have fled the island without telling the education department, making it impossible for the ministry to locate replacements. This is in addition to the physicians and IT specialists. The future of higher education as a whole will be harmed by the loss of services in these educated industries.