10 facts on health workforce crisis
3 March 2008
WHO estimates the global health worker shortfall to be over 4.2 million. That shortage is impairing provision of essential, life-saving interventions such as childhood immunizations, safe pregnancy and childbirth services for mothers, and access to treatment for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. As a result, people are suffering and dying needlessly.
Without prompt action, the shortage will worsen and health systems will be weakened further. As populations continue to grow in developing countries and grow older in the developed countries, health demand is on the rise virtually everywhere.
The Global Health Workforce Alliance, which is housed and administered by WHO, is a partnership dedicated to identifying and implementing solutions to the health workforce crisis. Since its launch in 2006, the Alliance has convened experts, political leaders, civil society and health workers to grapple with complex workforce challenges, including employee migration from developing to more developed countries, educational obstacles to a trained workforce, financing to invest in human resources for health, and advocacy and research for long-term problem-solving.
Read more about health workforce crisis
Related links
Events
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The 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion
10–14 June 2013
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Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly
20–28 May 2013
Corporate resources
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The world health report
Report on global public health and key statistics -
World health statistics report
WHO's annual compilation of data from its Member States -
International travel and health
Publication on travel risks, precautions and vaccination requirements -
International Health Regulations (IHR)
Global rules to enhance national, regional and global public health security