A public health e-learning master’s programme with a focus on health workforce development targeting francophone Africa: the University of Geneva experience

Shortage of a competent public health workforce is as a worldwide problem. The situation is especially bad in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, the World Health Organization and the Global Health Workforce Alliance launched a call for proposals for a public health training programme with an emphasis on health workforce development specifically targeting Africa. Our article presents the development, implementation and evaluation of an e-learning Master of Advanced Studies in Public Health on Workforce Development. The project was developed in collaboration with academic partner institutions of 10 French-speaking African countries and local/regional/HQ WHO offices.
Keys to the success of the programme were the enthusiasm and commitment of students, the availability of the coordination team, the simplicity of the electronic platform and the support of local/regional/WHO offices. Yet, the sustainability of the programme is not assured.
http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/13/1/68