title: The current crisis in human resources for health in Africa: the time to adjust our focus is now.
abstract: The challenges as we strive towards universal health coverage are many, but the need for an improved health workforce is chief among them. Unfortunately the global deficit in skilled professionals continues to increase. Nevertheless, there are potential solutions, and success stories are well documented when the approach is on system building and sustainability. As we approach 2015 and the Millennium Development Goals, we must shift our focus to a more distant time point in order to achieve the dramatic gains in global health that are possible. However, we must understand that there can be no health without a workforce.
authors: International Medical Services Ltd, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand simoncdalton@gmail.com.
authors: Simon C
authors: SC
authors: Dalton
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D058872:Epidemics / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics; D006282:Health Personnel; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D009937:Organizational Objectives / Q000191:economics; D011057:Politics; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics; D012935:Social Justice
keywords: Health service needs; Health workforce; Human resources; Sub-Saharan Africa; World health