Abstract:
In South Africa, the shortage of trained doctors and nurses
contributes to 50% of all maternal deaths, according to the
2014–2016 Saving Mother’s Report of the National Committee
on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths. The impact
on families and society as a whole, in addition to the fact that
more than 85% of these deaths are considered preventable,
demonstrates the unambiguous scale and urgency of this
problem. Broader studies of patient outcomes after surgery in
South Africa and the continent confirm the contribution of lack
of trained medical staff to our high mortality rates. We need
transformative learning experiences that can be delivered at
scale to optimise health professions education in South Africa.
As a leader in technology and innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa,
South Africa is optimally poised to design and develop the next
generation of scalable, education solutions for the country and
the region.
