A proposal for training scientists in Africa

Training qualified personnel for on-going scientific development is still one of the greatest challenges for African countries. The traditional approach, sending young people for Master’s and Ph.D. courses at universities in Europe and the United States, has resulted in benefits that are outweighed by the disadvantages of high cost, small number of beneficiaries, and likelihood of brain drain to the developed countries. With the support of the Brazilian government, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation or FIOCRUZ, the largest institute of science and technology in health in Brazil, in a joint initiative with the National Institute of Health of Mozambique (INSM), has created a Master’s course in Health Sciences with the aim of providing local human resources training for conducting health research and innovation. In February 2008, fifteen young students were selected and began the course consisting of theoretical and practical subjects on contemporary diagnostic methods and laboratory investigation of infectious diseases, in addition to classes on immunopathology, biostatistics, epidemiology, bioethics, and biosafety. Computer facilities and Internet access were provided locally. After six months of intensive coursework, the students submitted their study projects to an examining board. A Brazilian faculty member and Mozambican researcher will be responsible for supervising the thesis work, the themes of which will be priority health problems in Mozambique. During the second year of the course, the students will stay at FIOCRUZ with their supervisors for a period of six months. The project includes opening four more Master’s classes every 18 months, with the purpose of forming a local critical mass, focused on research priorities in Mozambique and the development of networks of researchers with other scientific institutes and institutions in health.