Dermatology Training in Africa

KEY POINTS
- In North Africa, the ratio of dermatologists ranges from 3 per million population to 49 per million population. The rest of the continent has a ratio less than 10 per million population, usually less than 1 per million population. Inadequate numbers of dermatologists to disease burden needs task shifting to provide service. - Of the 55 African countries, 30 countries have no training programs, 12 have a regional program, 8 have a national program, and 5 have university programs. - Training programs emphasize modern biomedical treatments and the latest therapies, which have limited availability, are neither cost-effective nor based on evidence from Africa or skin of color. - Current health systems in Africa respond to causes of death but not the long-term effects of health conditions and associated functional limitations. - Pooling of expertise and resources is necessary to strengthen training and develop curricula relevant to local African needs.