A critical shortage of health workforce has worsened the recurrent public health emergencies on the continent, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says.

Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC, said at the May 6-8 Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum that while Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for approximately 24 per cent of the global disease burden, it is home to only 3 per cent of the world’s health workers.

The Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum is now underway in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

The Africa CDC said that in 2023, the continent recorded 166 disease outbreaks, a trend likely to persist in 2024.

The statement said that the shortage of health workers in Africa is projected to reach about 6.1 million by 2030.

Mr urged African countries to join forces to realise the 2017 African Union decision to recruit, train, and deploy 2 million institutionalised community health workers by 2030.

Noting that investments in the health sector would yield substantial economic returns, Mr Kaseya warned that Africa “will go nowhere if we do not have appropriate health workforce.” 

(Xinhua/NAN)