The Angolan government has faced a significant setback in its efforts to train health professionals in Brazil. Out of 735 available spots, only 391 were filled by the end of September, leaving 344 spots unoccupied. The training program, which is part of the Brazil-Angola Health Human Resources Training Program, aims to develop the skills of Angolan health professionals in various areas, including family health, clinical medicine, and epidemiology.
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) has taken steps to address the issue, instructing hospital directors to identify and nominate eligible professionals by October 30. The ministry is keen to ensure that the available spots are filled promptly, as the training program is crucial to addressing the country's health needs. The program offers training in 171 specialties across 55 Brazilian institutions, covering areas such as health family, medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, and public health.
Several health professionals have expressed concerns that the initial nomination process lacked transparency, which may have contributed to the low uptake of available spots. To be eligible for the training program, candidates must have a degree in a health-related field, a certificate of professional experience or training, and a curriculum vitae. They must also pass an online interview conducted by the Brazilian training institution.
The Brazil-Angola Health Human Resources Training Program is part of a larger project to train 38,000 health professionals, with 80% of training taking place in Angola and 20% abroad. The program is financed by the World Bank and aims to strengthen the country's health system by developing the skills of its health workforce.
The MINSA has urged hospital directors to expedite the nomination process, as the available spots may be reallocated if they remain unfilled. The ministry is also encouraging institutions that do not have eligible candidates or whose available spots do not match their needs to communicate this information promptly.
The training program covers a wide range of areas, including diagnosis, rehabilitation, technology, and management. These areas include radiology, clinical engineering, digital health, hospital pharmacy, and patient safety and quality management. By developing the skills of health professionals in these areas, the program aims to improve the quality of healthcare services in Angola.
The Angolan government has emphasized the importance of filling the available spots promptly, as the training program is critical to addressing the country's health needs. The government has set a deadline of October 30 for hospital directors to nominate eligible professionals, and it remains to be seen whether the available spots will be filled.
Key points
- Angola only filled 391 out of 735 spots for health professional training in Brazil.
- The Ministry of Health has instructed hospital directors to nominate eligible professionals by October 30.
- The training program aims to develop the skills of 38,000 health professionals, with 20% of training taking place abroad.
