“The seeds of change have been planted in Salzburg. Now, I am ready to cultivate improvement in Ghana’s pediatric landscape.” This inspirational sentiment was shared by OMI fellow Dr. Joceline Mary Israel-Dodoo from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana, after having spent a week at the OMI.
The exodus of healthcare workers from Africa continues, despite the WHO’s introduction of a safeguards list to stop wealthier countries from poaching medical staff from underserved regions. The “red list”, initially launched in 2020 and updated in March 2023, identified 55 countries with significant medical staff shortages due to brain drain. Of the 55 listed countries, 37 are in Africa.
Several years ago, the OMI committed to stemming the exodus of doctors from Sub-Saharan Africa, and shifted its focus towards the South, fostering strategic partnerships with numerous hospitals. In three years, we have more than doubled the number of fellowships provided to African doctors. We are beyond proud to announce that in 2024, 136 fellowships were granted to healthcare professionals from 18 African countries, which accounts for 10,15% of all fellowships provided in 2024. In total, the OMI received 1,524 applications from African doctors.
The home countries of the attending fellows, and their respective numbers, were the following: Ethiopia (32), Tanzania (31), Nigeria (29), Morocco (9), South Africa (9), Ghana (7), Uganda (4), Egypt (3), Botswana (2), Kenya (2), Algeria (1), Cameroon (1), Central African Republic (1), Côte d’Ivoire (1), Malawi (1), Niger (1), Rwanda (1), and Tunisia (1).
In 2024, the OMI offered 40 clinical seminars and leadership courses. African fellows participated in 39 OMI seminars; 102 of them in clinical courses (80 in adult medicine, 22 in pediatrics) and 34 in the OMI leadership program.
It is important to note that the participants’ medical institutions are just as varied as their home countries. They are represented in the list below:
Algeria:
- Algiers Center for Urology
Botswana:
- Bamalete Lutheran Hospital
- University of Botswana
Cameroon:
- Institut Pasteur Cameroon
Central African Republic:
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui
Côte d’Ivoire:
- Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire
Egypt:
- Dar Al Fouad Hospital
- El Menshawy General Hospital
Ethiopia:
- Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine
- Adera Medical and Surgical Center
- Arbaminch University
- Bahir Dar University
- Bushulo Mother Newborn and Child Health Specialty Center
- Dilla University College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine
- Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital
- Samaritan Surgical Center
- Soddo Christian General Hospital
- Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College
- Peter Specialized Hospital
- Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College
- Zewditu Memorial Hospital
Ghana:
- Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
- POS Foundation
- Watborg Eye Services
Kenya:
- Kuza Trust
- Maseno University
Malawi:
- Kamuzu Central Hospital
Morocco:
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy
- IBN Rochd Hospital, Hassan II University
- Institut Pasteur du Maroc
- Open Society Foundations
Niger:
- Afe Babalola University
Nigeria :
- Centre de Recherche Medicale et Sanitaire (CERMES)
- Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti
- Ibadan University College Hospital
- IBB University /IBB University Teaching (General ) Hospital, Minna
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital
- Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex
- University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
- University of Uyo Teaching Hospital
Rwanda:
- University of Rwanda
South Africa:
- Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital
- Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town
- Harm Reduction International
- Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
- Permanent Mission of South Africa in Vienna
- Students for Sensible Drug Policy International
- University of Witwatersrand
Tanzania:
- Aga Khan University of East Africa
- Benjamin Mkapa Hospital
- Bugando Medical Center
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center
- Maranatha Hospital
- Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital
- Mnazi Mmoja Hospital
- Muhimbili National Hospital
- Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital
- National Public Health Laboratory
- Saifee Hospital Tanzania
- Shinyanga Regional Referral Hospital
- The World Bank
- University of Dodoma
- World Bank Dodoma Integrated and Sustainable Transport Project
Tunisia:
- University of Monastir, Faculty of Medicine
Uganda:
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
- Hoima Regional Referral Hospital
- Makerere University
This impressive list showcases that physicians from a broad range of backgrounds were interested and willing to improve their medical know-how through our educational initiatives. That our educational seminars positively impact healthcare in African countries becomes evident through not only the large number of doctors we trained but also their positive feedback and excitement to be able to learn from world-class experts. What better way to prove this point than to let the fellows speak for themselves? Here are some of our fellows’ quotes about their time in Salzburg.
