In our previous discussions, we have discussed topics which included the need to restore the “can do” attitude among African health professionals, country ownership, the need for committed leadership of individuals that is needed to close the huge implementation gap at country level and the place of mentorship and role models in growing a new generation of accountable African techno-professionals. In this issue let’s continue the discussion on creating a new generation of accountable health professionals using Education and Training as a critical entry point for achieving this goal.

During the last few months my attention has once again been sharply drawn to the perennial topic of the need for stronger coordination in order to build synergies and promote cohesion and avoid dispersing our effort and resources. Even if we act separately we can at least move in tandem, collectively gaining momentum and accelerating faster towards the attainment of our shared goals. The motto of the Republic of Kenya is "Harambee" which might translate as lifting heavy loads together in unison (Kenyan colleagues are welcome to elaborate).

During the last quarter of 2011 one of the most striking and saddening experiences   for me was to witness at first hand how key information appeared not to be  in the possession of policy makers and techno-professionals for whom this information is targeted in the first place. How can we expect action to be taken if the key actors do not know or appear not to be aware of what they are expected to do? We have discussed the “Implementation Gap”, the “know - do - gap” the so called “low hanging fruits”. How can the low hanging fruits be picked if we do not know what these fruits look like and where they can be found? How can we expect global, regional and national resolutions, policies and technical frameworks to be acted upon if they do not reach the implementers?

In our last discussion we placed a heavy responsibility for transforming the heath status of African populations on technical and professional leaders. We agreed that this time round we will discuss how we can produce a critical mass of techno-professionals who will design and drive the reforms that are needed and to close the  gap between what needs to be done and what is actually happening on the ground.

I am writing this from Beijing in China where I have been for one week exploring what Africa can learn from the phenomenal achievements of this emerging super power. The last time I was in China was 2004 and in this interval, I can only admire the transformation in the Beijing skyline that dwarfs those of many other cities that I know. The streets are clean with many taxi cars but the air however is not so clean.