Building a Workforce for Arthritis Care in West Africa: Innovative Training Programs and Collaborative Models

Arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) contribute substantially to pain, disability, reduced productivity, and long-term health-system costs across West Africa. Yet rheumatology services remain severely under-resourced, with very few specialist rheumatologists relative to population need and limited capacity for multidisciplinary rehabilitation. This review synthesizes practical, workforce-focused solutions for West Africa, emphasizing (i) innovative training pathways (blended and competency-based specialist training; short-course upskilling for generalists; structured training for allied health professionals), and (ii) collaborative service-delivery models (hub-and-spoke networks, tele-rheumatology/telementoring, cross-country training consortia, and partnerships with continental/global professional bodies). Evidence and recent initiatives, including EULARsupported online postgraduate education used in West African certification pathways and EULAR–AFLAR collaborations that expand access to online rheumatology courses, highlight scalable strategies that can grow workforce capacity without waiting for large increases in specialist numbers. We propose a pragmatic roadmap: define a minimum arthritis-care package deliverable at district/regional levels; expand task-sharing with trained non-specialist clinicians and rehabilitation professionals; formalize regional training and mentorship networks; and align policy, financing, and data systems to sustain workforce growth and equitable access. Keywords: arthritis, rheumatology, workforce, West Africa, task-sharing, telemedicine, training, AFLAR, EULAR, collaborative care.