On the brain drain of doctors from third world to advanced countries...

It's not unusual to read about brain drain from third world countries, in pursuit of better and more lucrative opportunities in the more advanced countries. What is unusual, of the article today in New York Times on brain drain of doctors, is the guilt that these doctors feel.

It's a tough decision, tucked and pulled by the love of their home country, and the lure of a better and more comfortable life for themselves and more opportunities for their children. I can imagine the kind of betrayal their home country must have felt, having invested lots of time and resources in the education of these young doctors, only to see them leaving the country for greener pasture elsewhere. There are talks to the extent of "looting," or "thief," for the advanced countries to ply their medical doctors from poor countries to work for better pay.

Even as a reader, I can feel the dilemma. I wonder out loud, of what I would do in the shoes of these doctors, and of those who need their medical care in their home countries. Unfortunately, I must admit truthfully that I probably would have done what a good number of them did, which is to leave for better opportunities elsewhere. It's politically incorrect, even unseemly, to even admit it; but truth can often come across that way.

I feel sorry for those poor countries, yet there are enough times when I wonder why countries like those in Africa are forever mired in military conflicts and remain war torn for years, if not decades. Why do these people, particularly those rise (or fight) to the top, always resort to guns? It's easy to put the blame on western countries, even weapons dealers, in fanning the fire and profit from these regional and internal conflicts. Can these people ever emerge from such lows, to become more civilized like Nelson Mandela ever does to South Africa? Are they capable of doing so?

My knowledge and connections to the continent of Africa are causal to minimal, at best. No doubt situations are more complex than the main stream media news reporting would have it. It's time to read up some more on this topic...