Some of the poorest people in the world with AIDS, whose lives might be prolonged through proper treatment, are dying because there are far too few healthcare workers, says a new study by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

The humanitarian aid agency has carried out a survey of healthcare conditions across countries in southern Africa where it runs programmes. It says that staff shortages are exacerbated by the fact that many employees have themselves contracted the virus and become ill and die. Furthermore, pay is extremely low and working conditions very difficult.

The data were gathered in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa. Although South Africa has better resources in terms of healthcare staff, a large proportion of these work in …