| Multiple reports have documented the important deficit in human resources in health (HRH) in Africa. The causes are multiple and relate to a combination of underproduction, internal mal-distribution and inappropriate task allocation, working conditions and brain drain. The HURAPRIM-project will develop innovative interventions and policies and address the HRH crisis. The objectives of the projects are to analyze the actual situation of HRH in Africa, to understand the complexity of the causes for the actual shortages in primary health care, to test interventions, strategies and policies that may improve the situation and to maximise networking and synergies. In order to achieve these goals, the project will assess the scope of the deficit in human resources and analyse the process of recruitment, undergraduate and postgraduate training, professional retention and unemployment and this for a variety of primary health care workers. The known complexity of the problem will prevent us from applying a "one size fits all"-approach. Therefore, the project consortium brings together three experienced and committed European partners and five African partners, representing different parts of Africa and specific situations in HRH. The designed interventions will be tested out through case-studies in these partner countries. The interventions will target different levels (capacity building, recruitment and retention, task differentiation and cooperation with informal sector/traditional healers), will addresses (in various degrees of importance) aspects at the micro-, meso and macro-levels and will be designed with involvement of all stakeholders, political authorities, NGOs and especially the local population. The frame of reference for the analysis will look at relevance, equity, quality, efficiency, acceptability, sustainability, participation and feasibility. Acceptance by policy makers, in close cooperation with stakeholders and of the local communities will be a main focu |
