Human health resources are key to HIV treatment in Africa

Deeks singled out drug availability and limited resources in terms of equipment as some of the constraints facing Africa with regard to antiretroviral treatment. Globally financial resources are not regarded as the main immediate constraint anymore the lack of human resources for health being regarded as the single most serious obstacle to the roll out of antiretroviral treatment. Not only is the number of health professionals for national health systems in general insufficient but there is even a greater shortage of staff involved in antiretroviral treatment. The few human resources available are maldistributed most staff residing in urban areas. When this is coupled with unsatisfactory working conditions characterised by overwork lack of support burnout and lack of equipment people are simply overwhelmed. The production of health professionals by institutions of higher learning is not on the increase as might be expected and the capping of the number of new entrants through governmental budgetary constraints and the shrinking numbers of academics through retirement without replacement contribute to the decreased throughput. (excerpt)