Stopping Africa's medical brain drain
BMJ 2005; 331 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.331.7507.2 (Published 30 June 2005) Cite this as: BMJ 2005;331:2- James Johnson (jjohnson@bma.org.uk), chairman of council
- BMA, BMA House, London WC1H 9JP
Africa will be the major focus of the G8 summit in Gleneagles next week, and rightly so. Nearly 11 million children aged under 5 years are dying every year worldwide from treatable diseases. Most of them are living in developing countries, with more than four million of these deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.1 Along with the disastrous effects of warfare, HIV/AIDS is wiping out young adults and leaving frail, malnourished children in the care of their siblings and grandparents.
It is difficult to see how the countries of sub-Saharan Africa can develop economically and politically when such large proportions of their adult populations are living with chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other tropical diseases. Antiretroviral drugs could make a dramatic difference, and so could appropriate aid. Although the developed countries of the North are giving aid with one hand, they …
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