Role of UK Hospitals in Supporting Surgical Training in Africa

Abstract

There are significant problems surrounding lack of access to surgical services, surgical training and surgical safety in Africa. There are many reasons for this. A recent report suggests that the ongoing healthcare workforce crisis is set to get worse in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated shortfall of 800,000 health professionals by 2015 and a required additional wage bill of approximately US $2.6 billion. Reasons include a lack of medical school places to meet demand; poor wages, facilities and infrastructure; impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic; and migration to urban areas and developed countries. For example, although Kenya has trained 300 surgeons since 1972 only 120 of them remain in public service, with 27 of its 63 district hospitals having no qualified surgeons.