The document discusses the health workforce crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. It notes that the region has 24% of the global disease burden but only 3% of health workers. 57 countries have severe shortages of doctors, nurses and midwives. The causes of the crisis include underfunding, HIV/AIDS, and brain drain. Solutions proposed include increasing training, management improvements, incentives, task-shifting, and global initiatives like PEPFAR to help address financing and workforce needs. Individual actions are suggested to support related legislation and policies.

1. The Global Health Workforce: Crisis, Solutions & Opportunities By Eric A. Friedman Physicians for Human Rights Physicians for Human Rights National Student Conference Providence, RI, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2009 [Contact: efriedman@phrusa.org]

3. Overview of health workforce in Africa: Numbers and beyond

6. Nurses, midwives, and physicians per 100,000 population

9. Causes and solutions

23. Financing the health workforce

25. Global attention

28. You Can Help