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C. CHARACTER OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL

In the less developed countries of Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania midwives constitute 40 percent of the available medical personnel; physicians, 38 percent; pharmacists, 14 percent; dentists, 8 percent. In the economically developed countries of Europe, North America, and in the U.S.S.R. physicians are the predominant with 62 percent, followed by 14 percent for dentists, 12 percent for pharmacists, and 12 percent for midwives.

Midwives, as included in this chart are those who have undergone specific training and are licensed by their governments. They are not to be classed with untrained individuals who practice midwifery without benefit of modern medical knowledge.

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* Includes only Physicians, Midwives, Pharmacists, and Dentists

** Europe and North America

*** Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania

Source: UN Statistical Office, 1958

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D. DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS

There are 634 medical schools throughout the world, of which 356 (56 percent) are located in the industrially developed countries of Europe (including U.S.S.R.), North America, and Oceania, while 278 schools (44 percent) serve the remaining countries. In the developed countries, Europe (including U.S.S.R.) leads with 253 medical schools, North America is next with 97, and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) have 6. In the less developed countries, east Asia has the largest number with 94, followed by South America with 53. Africa and southwest Asia have the smallest number, with 10 and 14, respectively.

Considering the ratio of population served to number of medical schools, the pattern changes somewhat. North America leads with 1 medical school for each 1.9 million people. Middle America, South America, Europe (including U.S.S.R), and Oceania are all comparable with 1 medical school for each 2.2 to 2.5 million persons. Asia, with a ratio of 1 to 8.3 million, and Africa with 1 to 22.4 million are far below the world average of 1 school for each 4.4 million people.

In 1955 an estimated total of 66,722 physicians were graduated from medical schools throughout the world, about two-thirds of them graduating from the schools in the industrially developed countries.

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DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS 1957 (Countries distorted on a scale proportionate to population)

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Source: WHO Directory of World Medical Schools Summary of Four Year Reports on Health

Conditions in the Americas, PASB. 1958

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E. NURSING SCHOOLS

Throughout the world there are 4,910 nursing schools or nearly 8 times the number of medical schools. Almost half of them, or 2,230, are located in Europe, and of these, 1,619 are in Northern and Western Europe. North America has a total of 1,360, of which 1,115 are in the United States. Asia has 704; the U.S.S.R., 164; Africa, 144. South and Central America report only 58, though data from Mexico and some other countries of Middle America are lacking. Oceania has 308.

Populationwise, the uneven distribution of nursing schools among the more and the less developed countries is obvious. The United States, with 1 school for every 150,000 of population, is in sharp contrast with India where the ratio is roughly 1 to 2.2 million persons, or Iran where it is 1 to 5 million. For all of South America the ratio is 1 to 1.2 million. In Africa, where more than two-thirds of the schools are concentrated in the Union of South Africa, the ratio for the rest of the continent is roughly 1 to every 5 million of population.

Sparsely populated Oceania leads the entire world with a ratio of 1 nursing school for every 50,000 persons.

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