THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC MIGRATION OF DOCTORS THE CASE OF THE REPUBLIC CROATIA

Abstract

Human capital is the primary driver of change in the modern knowledge society. The migration of healthcare workers is a "brain drain" of highly qualified individuals. Healthcare workers are currently among the most sought-after and mobile occupations in the EU. The global trend of open borders and free movement of goods, people and capital is an important determinant of growth and development, which developed countries have already recognized at the expense of less developed ones. The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of the volume of migration, which is not insignificant, and the long-term consequences are negative for society and the economy. There are numerous reasons for economically motivated migration, and there are three main groups of problems that need to be solved urgently in order to stop further emigration. The departure was primarily motivated by problems caused by general social and political circumstances, as well as dissatisfaction with the general state and socio-political climate in the country. Reasons for dissatisfaction are low wages and living standards, dissatisfaction with the organization and management of the state, hopelessness and deterioration of regions, cities, society and people, corruption and crime, religious intolerance and nationalism in the absence of positive changes in the state. An increasing number of young people are leaving their homelands in search of a "better life", and without them the progress of the country is impossible. What is worrying is the youthful pessimism that already prevails in the attitudes of young people towards issues of political and economic progress and social development. Croatia is currently one of the three EU countries with the largest number of emigrating healthcare workers. In its Report for Croatia for 2018, the European Commission stated that spending on healthcare in Croatia is stagnating, while spending across the EU is growing [2]. Healthcare expenditures in Croatia were among the lowest in the European Union; they amounted to only 760 euros per inhabitant in 2015 and are lower only in Romania, Latvia and Bulgaria. Furthermore, total healthcare spending in Croatia has remained stable since 2011, and the vast majority of EU member states have been spending more on healthcare in recent years, which is usually attributed to increasing costs for technological advances in medicine and an aging population. Healthcare is still underfunded and over-indebted. Since regular sources of financing are not sufficient to cover all costs, the system accumulates outstanding debts that are eventually settled with one-time transfers from the state budget. The scientific contribution of this work is to point out the shortcomings in the system and offer possible solutions.