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

According to an Africa CDC, 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, said Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC, at the May 6-8 Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum.

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

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

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

Kaseya urged African countries to join forces toward realising the 2017 African Union decision that called for rapid recruitment, training, and deployment of 2 million institutionalised community health workers by 2030.

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