The UK government should bolster its commitment to supporting and training healthcare workers in resource poor countries, says a report commissioned by the government and written by the former chief executive of the NHS, Nigel Crisp.

The United Nations' millennium development goals on health will not be met unless the capacity of the workforce in these countries is improved, warns Lord Crisp in the report, which was published this week. He calls on the UK government to strengthen existing health link partnerships and to increase investment.

The international community spends considerable amounts tackling major health problems, such as tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS in resource poor countries, yet many believe that such efforts are futile if systems are not in place …