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Health workforce

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Health workers are "all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to enhance health" (World Health Report 2006).

Workers in health systems around the world are experiencing increasing stress and insecurity as they react to a complex array of forces. Ageing population, new diseases as well as increasing burden of current diseases, escalating conflicts and violence, are all challenges to which the workforce must be prepared to respond.

The unmistakable imperative is to strengthen the workforce so that health systems can tackle crippling diseases and achieve national and global health goals. A strong human infrastructure is fundamental to closing today’s gap between health promise and health reality, and anticipating the health challenges of the 21st century.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Fact sheet: migration of health workers

Fact sheet: the global shortage of health workers and its impact

Q&A: do most countries have enough health workers?

MULTIMEDIA

Features on health workforce

RELATED TOPICS

Nursing and midwifery at WHO
Health systems
Health Action in Crises
Making pregnancy safer
Occupational health

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Education and training

Health workforce migration and retention

- More on health workforce

PUBLICATIONS

The world health report 2006 - working together for health

Policy briefs

- More publications

STATISTICS

Statistics about health workers

Observatory of human resources in the health sector reform


WHO PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES

Health workforce

PARTNERS

Global Health Workforce Alliance

HEALTH WORKFORCE IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas–PAHO
South-East Asia Region
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region


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