Overview

The ASEAN mutual recognition arrangements aim to facilitate the flow of foreign professionals in the region. By 2009, MRAs for health professionals within ASEAN was established in nursing, medicine and dentistry, with an ASEAN Joint Coordinating Committee formed for each discipline. Despite the potential significance of the ASEAN MRAs, there is limited literature available to provide a critical analysis of the MRA process and progress. The APO, in collaboration with the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland and the International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, presents insights on the current implementation of the ASEAN MRAs from the literature and using country case studies.

The policy brief presents three broad recommendations to support and strengthen health worker mobility within the ASEAN Member States:

1. Establish and strengthen data collection and analysis on human resources for health from an ASEAN regional perspective to aid health workforce management within and across AMSs, and serve as a base from which the development of an analytical facility serving ASEAN needs could proceed.
2. Setting regional educational standards to improve health worker education.
3. Strengthen registration and licensing processes to aid health worker mobility.