What is the impact of the health worker shortage?
Q: What is the impact of the health worker shortage?
A: The chronic shortage is well recognized as one of the main obstacles to delivery of effective health services to those who need them most. It is one of the most fundamental constraints to achieving international health and development goals such as the Millennium Development Goals and universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
For populations, the impact is a lack of access to essential health services: prevention, information, drug distribution, emergencies, clinical care and life-saving interventions such as childhood immunization, safe pregnancy and delivery services for mothers and access to treatment for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
For health workers, the effect is an overwhelming workload and stress,, which can lead to a lack of motivation, fatigue, absenteeism, breakdowns, illness, migration or even a career change outside of the health field.