UNAIDS: The First 10 Years

Chapter 7197Sex workers inCalcutta establishedthe Sonagachee Projectto protect themselvesand their clients againstHIV education. It is apowerful example of peereducation and is believedto have reduced the rateof HIV among thesewomen.UNAIDS/S. MatheyThe chronic lack of human resourcesA strong national AIDS framework and a national AIDS authority are necessary, but notenough, for an efficient use of resources. Many countries, particularly in Africa, strugglebecause they do not have the right people, or the right number of skilled people, to do thework. The WHO 2007 World Health Report revealed an estimated shortage of almost 4.3million doctors, midwives, nurses and support staff worldwide 23 . This report also observesthat the African region suffers more than 24% of the global burden of disease but has accessto only 3% of health workers and less than 1% of the world’s financial resources 24 .The lack of skilled health workers is a serious problem in most low-income countries. Largenumbers emigrate to richer countries where ageing populations are outstripping the numbersof indigenous health workers (partly because insufficient numbers are being trained in richcountries). The Kenyan Ministry of Health estimates that the country is losing about 20 nursesper week or more than 1000 nurses per year to countries such as Australia, the UK and theUSA. Other destinations include Botswana and Namibia.Others leave the public sector for the richer pastures of the private sector in their own country(including programmes run by international nongovernmental organizations, developmentagencies and research institutes). In some countries – for example, Kenya – there is a limiton the number of nurses that can be recruited in the public sector. This partially relates to23WHO (2007). Working Together for Health. World Health Report. Geneva, WHO.24Ibid.