The African continent is facing a health crisis caused by a number of factors, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the resurgence of other ‘old’ communicable diseases such as TB, Malaria and Cholera. In addition there is the perennial problem of scarcity of trained medical personnel, poor management and low funding of health systems and the deterioration of health infrastructure. This situation is compounded by the wider health implications of social deprivation and poverty.

Operating at the sharp end of this highly challenging environment is the health professional who plays a critical role in the health system and on whom the efficiency and effectiveness of other resources are dependent. And yet all across the continent clinics and hospitals are losing this vital workforce. It has been well documented that many African countries are facing problems of emigration of its skilled labour. This phenomenon- typically referred to as the ‘brain drain’- means that health professionals are leaving in search of a better quality of life elsewhere. In some cases even more health staff have been lost to AIDS. In the case of Zambia, for example, it is estimated that the death rate of health professionals in Lusaka and Kasama districts is double the number of those Zambians who applied to work in the health sector in the UK.

At present there is a lack of funding and commitment to the development of homegrown training and knowledge solutions to medical development in Africa. The Chalker Foundation for Africa hopes to contribute to solving these needs and will actively support community-based initiatives specifically focused on developing locally relevant skills. Our aim is to make a meaningful contribution towards a healthier future for African communities.