The Ouagadougou Declaration on Primary Health Care and Health Systems in Africa: Achieving better Health for Africa in the New Millennium

The Ouagadougou Declaration on Primary Health Care and Health Systems in Africa focuses on nine major priority areas: 1) leadership and governance for health; 2) health services delivery; 3) human resources for health; 4) health financing; 5) health information systems; 6) health technologies; 7) community ownership and participation; 8) partnerships for health development; and 9) research for health. This paper describes a framework constructed for implementing the necessary activities in each of these priority areas; and proposes recommendations for consideration by Member States in the development of their own country frameworks. The frameworkfor implementing activities related to health information and research for health which have been taken into account in the Algiers Framework are discussed separately elsewhere in this issue

Development of Human Resources for Health in The WHO African Region: Current Situation and Way Forward

Human resources for health (HRH) are widely recognised as the most important assets and pillar of any health system. However the African Region is faced with severe shortages of this important human capacity. This has resulted in weak health systems with a limited capacity to achieve their national health goals. The problem is more severe in rural and remote areas where most people typically live in the countries in the African Region. This paper provides information about the efforts and commitments by Member States and the various opportunities created by Regional and global partners; including the progress made. The paper also explores issues and challenges related to the underlying factors of the HRH crisis; such as chronic underinvestment in health systems development in general; and specifically in human resources for health development; migration of skilled health personnel as a result of poor working conditions and remuneration; lack of evidence-based strategic planning; insufficient production of health workers and poor management systems