Field Epidemiology Training Programmes in Africa - Where are the Graduates? | Mukanga et al. Human Resources for Health 2010 8 18 http content 8 1 18 HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH RESEARCH Open Access Field Epidemiology Training Programmes in Africa - Where are the Graduates 1 1 1 f n 2 3 4 David Mukanga Olivia Namusisi Sheba N Gitta George Pariyo Mufuta Tshimanga Angela Weaver Murray Trostle5 Abstract Background The current shortage of human resources for health threatens the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. There is currently limited published evidence of health-related training programmes in Africa that have produced graduates who remain and work in their countries after graduation. However anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of graduates of field epidemiology training programmes FETPs in Africa stay on to work in their home countries-many as valuable resources to overstretched health systems. Methods Alumni data from African FETPs were reviewed in order to establish graduate retention. Retention was defined as a graduate staying and working in their home country for at least 3 years after graduation. African FETPs are located in Burkina Faso Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Nigeria Rwanda South Africa the United Republic of Tanzania Uganda and Zimbabwe. However this paper only includes the Uganda and Zimbabwe FETPs as all the others are recent programmes. Results This review shows that enrolment increased over the years and that there is high graduate retention with 223 261 of graduates working within country of training most working with Ministries of Health 105 261 and non-governmental organizations 40 261 . Retention of graduates with a medical undergraduate degree was higher Zimbabwe 80 36 83 Uganda 125 178 than for those with other undergraduate qualifications Zimbabwe 27 83 Uganda 35 178 . Conclusions African FETPs have unique features which may explain their high retention of graduates. These include programme ownership by ministries of health and local .
