Chapter 17: E-Learning For Public Health Education In Southern Africa: Secure the Future Fellowship Program at MEDUNSA

Africa faces a shortage of trained health care workers, including public health professionals (Beaglehole & Dal Poz, 2003; Physicians for Human Rights, 2004; Global Health Watch, 2005–2006). The increase in demand for health professionals worldwide has placed pressure on institutions of higher learning that are engaged in the training of health professionals. The AIDS pandemic has drawn attention to the need for a focus in health promotion strategies and the need for health personnel with expertise in program design, implementation, advocacy, planning, and monitoring and evaluation. The South African White Paper on Health (1997) highlighted the need to not only increase the number of health professionals, but also to re-orient the training of health professionals so that there is a significant shift and expansion of focus from curative measures to disease prevention and health promotion.