Working with developing countries We have worked closely with the Indian Ministry of Health in the development of the campaign in India, and it has been supportive of the opportunities we are offering doctors. The Indian minister of health and family welfare responded to a parliamentary question in July 2003 by saying that the overall availability of doctors in India is sufficient. We are working with India and other developing countries to support them in developing programmes to retain their staff. In some cases, we are assisting them in offering fixed term placements in the NHS as part of career planning for healthcare professionals. In addition, individual NHS trusts are putting a great deal back into developing countries. Much of this work is voluntary and receives little publicity. Many NHS volunteers spend considerable time and resources developing and providing diverse services in countries such as India, Ghana, Russia, Iran, and China. In India, for example, volunteers are providing services in mental health, leprosy prevention, neonatal resuscitation, women's health, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV.2 Footnotes Competing interests None declared.