The Ministry of Health and Social Services in Quebec is conducting a recruitment campaign in Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo, a practice not encouraged by the World Health Organization.

Due to a shortage of healthcare workers in recent years, Quebec has turned to foreign countries to meet its needs.

Since 2017, Recrutement santé Québec, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), has attracted over 1,900 workers, including nurses and midwives, coming from 24 countries across Africa, South America, and Europe.

Candidates from Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo will participate in interviews at the end of the month as part of "Quebec Days Sub-Saharan Africa," aiming to secure a job as a beneficiary host.

However, the four countries have appeared on the "red list" of the World Health Organization since 2020.

Lawrence Kodjia, a consultant to the World Health Organization on human resources issues, clarified that the workforce support list in health and guarantees, which includes 55 countries, was developed to alert Western countries and urge them to protect vulnerable health systems.

Lawrence Kodjia stated that the shortage of healthcare workers in Quebec is relative. A country like Benin, classified among those with the most vulnerable health systems, is experiencing a significant shortage of healthcare personnel.

According to data from the World Health Organization, Benin has 2.9 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants, while Quebec has 77, according to statistics from the Quebec Order of Nurses (OIIQ). In Cameroon, the ratio is even worse with only 1.9 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants.

Lawrence Kodjia, who is from Benin, also warned that health service coverage will be low there. This means that a large segment of the population will not be able to access quality healthcare services.

He also fears that the risks of epidemics will increase and that these places will become more susceptible to environmental crises.