The African Union's Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, says Africa must address the contradiction of training health professionals while failing to create jobs for them.

Speaking at the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra on Tuesday, July 21, Ambassador Twum-Amoah said the continent must make greater investments in its health workforce to tackle persistent shortages and improve healthcare systems.

She said Africa faced "a profound paradox" where severe shortages of health personnel existed alongside unemployment among qualified health professionals.

"We must invest decisively in the health workforce. Africa faces a profound paradox. Severe shortages of health personnel coexist with unemployment among trained health professionals," she said.

The commissioner called on governments to strengthen recruitment and retention efforts across the health sector, saying investment should extend beyond training to ensuring health workers have sustainable employment and career opportunities.

"We must recruit, train, fairly remunerate, protect and retain our doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory personnel, epidemiologists and community health workers," she said.

Ambassador Twum-Amoah also highlighted the need to improve working conditions and address the factors contributing to the migration of skilled health workers from the continent.

"We must also address poor working conditions, limited career opportunities and other factors driving health worker migration. Training health workers without creating pathways to employ and retain them is a loss of public investment," she said.